Impurity
by RoseClrdVibes
Summary: "After being sent away for a year, Rachel returns to Lima. The former, future Broadway star tries to finish school in the shadows, but when new enemies and dangerous secrets come to light, Rachel has to find a way to retake control of her life and protect the ones she loves."
1. Chapter 1

**Beginning of the rewrite. This version might be a little more...effed up.**

**-RCV**

* * *

It wasn't until she left did she realize Lima had dimmed whatever light remained inside of Rachel. Spending a year with her extended family in Seattle did her good, and there was something about the Berry clan that left lasting marks on more than just her body. They were three of the most care-free, loving, open, group of people she'd ever met. Rachel was technically an only child, but her Daddy Leroy had two children that treated her like they shared the same blood. Tori was the type of sister that woke you up with ice water to the face for the hell of it while LJ was the type of brother that made Puck seem like an angel, but she loved them both.

They were the ones who always answered the phone when she called, no matter what time of day it was, and she would cry to them about her day. They sent her care packages now and then filled with Seattle coffee, books and new music for her to listen to. Her family life wasn't something she talked about, and with all the assumptions thrown around, Rachel lost interest in correcting them. She merely let the town talk, let her classmates spread their gossip, and stayed quiet.

The sudden year off came as a shock to everyone, especially the Glee Club, who spent the first month of her absence calling and texting to know what happened to her. Rachel was sure rumors were going around about the reason why, but like with everything else, Rachel never confirmed or denied them. So, after sending off replies to a majority of the club, Rachel eventually turned off her phone and spent the year cut off from everything and everyone in Lima. The only person she talked to was her Daddy. Not even her Dad reached out. She didn't find that too shocking considering he was hell-bent on sending her to a treatment center. She was thankful for her Daddy, because had it not been for him, Rachel would've been in an asylum somewhere.

After the incident, Rachel spent her last week of school at home, and by that weekend, she was on a flight to Washington, signaling the end of her sophomore year. She had no expectations for the trip but was pleasantly shocked out of her mind when Mama Berry picked her up from the airport in a dirt-covered Ford F-150 with her siblings hanging out of the window with hand-crafted signs that read: "Looking For Small, Tiny Brunette. Will Pay Good Money."

It was the first real laugh she'd had in a long time and the first of many.

The next morning resulted in her waking up to her clothes burning in the front yard, her brother stoking the flames to ensure the fabric completely turned to ash. Soon after, her sister decided to take a pair of scissors to her hair, and to keep her from walking around in ugly sweaters and tights, the family drove Rachel to the closest mall where she was poked, prodded, measured, and squeezed into pants so tight she was afraid that she would die from poor blood circulation.

For twelve months, her normal schedule was broken by late morning run-ins with the truancy officers, detentions after school, and a reputation much worse than the one she'd garnered back in Lima. She got her exercise by running away from rabid dogs, angry neighbors, and cops who caught them loitering just a little too long outside the liquor store. There were the secret "rage-outs" in the basement between she and Tori that would help leak out some of the anger Rachel kept bottled up inside.

All in all, it was a year filled with pain combined with large portions of laughter and growth.

Seattle did wonders for her soul and her mind, leaving her heart to whoever was lucky enough to catch it and tame it, but above all, Seattle sparked a fire that had long lost its reason to burn.

* * *

"When you said Lima was a wasteland, we didn't think you meant it literally."

Rachel snorted, not bothering to turn around as she said, "You could've stayed in Washington."

"I thought Lima would be more exciting," LJ murmured. "There are too many trees. Where are the coffee shops? The tattoo parlors? Strip clubs like the one we-"

There was a smacking sound, and Rachel mentally thanked Tori for her quick thinking. The last thing Rachel needed was for her Dad to know that she spent more time going to strip clubs and getting lap dances than meditating and attending self-help groups. The type of soul-searching she participated in wasn't the kind he desired for her. When blue eyes bored into the side of her head, Rachel kept her gaze firmly outside and inwardly exhaled, mentally preparing for the off-handed comment hanging off her Dad's tongue.

"I take it you did the complete opposite of what was suggested during your little sabbatical. I knew it was a bad idea sending you out there. You would've done better at an alternative school, or maybe we should have sent you to that juvenile center."

There was an awkward pause where the only sound was the low voices coming from the radio station, and Rachel counted to ten before she responded.

"Daddy suggested Seattle as a way for me to connect with his side of the family while simultaneously giving me another chance after my-," Rachel stopped and gritted out, "incident."

"Incident? You nearly beat a man to death, Rachel. That's like calling a three-way car crash a fender bender!"

Unbeknownst to her Dad, guitar-trained fingers brushed against the back of her neck in warning, and Rachel went back to staring out of the window. The rest of the ride passed with the radio acting as white noise to the tension flaring in the car. The original plan was for her Daddy to be the one to pick them up. He hadn't seen his children in years, and the two-hour ride from the airport was supposed to be lighthearted and fun.

Not suffocating and judgmental.

While the car sped along, Rachel thought back to when Hiram first picked them up from the airport. She didn't outwardly react, but she saw the way her Dad's eyes narrowed on her professionally dyed and freshly chopped hair, new clothes, and body art barely covered by the sleeves of her thermal. She saw the way he scowled at LJ's piercings, the apparent disgust at Tori's choice of t-shirt selection, and despite the wild and free lifestyle her Daddy used to live, Hiram was the opposite.

Blinking back into the present, Rachel snapped the rubber band on her wrist in sequences of three and focused on her breathing. She was itching to smoke, and she missed the familiar sting on her knuckles after going a couple of rounds with Tori. Sighing, she looked down when her phone vibrated in her lap. Unbidden, a smile broke out, and she read the message on the screen:

**Welcome Home, Rocky. Meet up later our usual spot?**

She grinned to herself, and typed out her response before going back to staring at the barren wasteland that she called home.


	2. Chapter 2

**Redo of C2.**

**Sorry, I'll see myself out.**

**-RCV**

* * *

"How was Seattle?"

Rachel tapped her foot against the window, her legs stretched out against the dashboard, and shrugged. "Cold, rainy, a little cloudy at times, but ultimately the same no matter what day it was. There were times I missed Lima, believe it or not. I would rather have cold and dry than the shit storm that was Seattle's weather," she said.

"And the family?"

"I freaked out while I was on the plane, and I nearly threw up on the flight attendant. One of the passengers had to give me a Benadryl, and it put me straight to sleep."

"Why the freak-out?"

"I haven't seen them in years, Puck. Sure, we chatted on video every blue moon, but living with them was something completely different."

"When you put it that way it makes sense. But was the experience bad?"

"No, not at all. Once I settled down, I loved being out there, you know, despite the circumstances."

"Yeah, you never got around to telling me why you pulled the disappearing act. Leroy was the one who told me that you needed to go away, but that you would be back."

Rachel sighed and looked over at Puck. "One day after school, I got into an argument with Hiram. I ran out and went to some diner across town. I was alone, you know? But there was some jerk there who walked over and started flirting with me. I turned him down, and he got upset. He said some things, and I snapped. Cops were called, and thankfully, Leroy got me out on a self-defense charge. But he and Hiram believed I needed some time away to recover, so they sent me to live with my other family."

Puck blinked at her and whistled lowly. "Wow. That's why?" he asked.

"Pretty much."

"What'd your family say?"

"You mean Leroy's family?"

"They're your family too."

We're not related biologically. Those are Leroy's kids and that woman I'm calling Mama is Leroy's ex-girlfriend. It's odd because while they're all related, I'm the oddball out. I'm the spawn of two heartless individuals who had a baby to save a doomed relationship."

"Don't they still see you as their sister?"

"I might be their sister in name, but in blood, I have no one but Hiram and Shelby."

"What's up with the negativity, man? What's going on in that head of yours?"

After a beat of silence, Rachel said, "Monday."

"What about it?"

"I go back to McKinley on Monday. I'm not ready for that. You continuously told me how Glee Club pretty much fell apart without me, and they all hate me. When I show up tomorrow, they're going to-

"Fuck them," Puck interrupted hotly. "You didn't ruin shit. They did! They were always fighting and bickering and gossiping more than practicing. You didn't do anything wrong."

"Thought you liked them," she teased.

"Hell no. I tolerated them but now? They're a bunch of fuck-ups, and that's coming from me."

Rachel snorted and squished her cigarette into the ashtray. "I have something to tell you," she said.

"Uh, oh."

"No, it's not bad. LJ and Tori are actually here with me. In Lima."

Puck gaped at her. "No fucking way!" he exclaimed.

"Yup. They're at the house with Leroy. I'm warning you now, my siblings are certifiable."

"They're your siblings now?"

"Shut up," she grumbled. "I was having a moment."

Puck lightly punched her shoulder. "I'm just fucking with you, bro," he said. "But that's dope man. I can't wait to meet them."

"I bet," she muttered. In a louder voice she said, "I'll be honest with you. I don't know what's going to happen on Monday. I can only plan for what I can control. I'll be fine."

Puck stared at her for a long moment. After a few seconds of intense eye contact, Puck broke first and turned the key in the ignition. "Alright. Just so you know, not everyone hates you back at McKinley. I can say without a doubt that there are at least two people back at the school who pretty much faded into obscurity after you left," he said.

Rachel tensed, moving her feet down to the floor as Puck pulled out of the lot. She snapped the rubber band on her wrist and said, "I would ask who, but I think I already know. Are they…well, are they okay? Like they haven't been fighting much, have they?"

"Oh no. In fact, they're the best of friends. But it's, uh, no longer the Unholy Trinity. Rather the Unholy Duo."

"What happened to make that happen?"

Rachel saw Puck wince, and he cleared his throat, "Let's just say one was caught in a compromising position with a certain Glee member and her girlfriend got suspended for two weeks for some…creative work with a broomstick."

"A broomstick?" Rachel repeated.

"Yeah. It took Finn three days to be able to walk without limping."

She tried to hold it in, she honestly did, but Rachel's laughter was so loud and infectious that Puck had to laugh with her.

* * *

Rachel crept back into the house, her boots in her hand, and as she dropped them on the floor by the door, a light turned on. She sighed at the familiar sight of her Daddy waiting in the kitchen.

"Hi," she murmured, wiping her hands on her pants.

Leroy leaned over the island and passed her a bottle of water. He asked, "How is he doing?"

Rachel took the bottle thankfully and sat down across from him, taking a long sip to try and determine where the conversation was going. "He's fine," she answered, putting the water back on the table. "Same as I remember, though he shaved off that ridiculous mohawk."

"Good. Did you eat?"

"Yeah, we stopped and picked up some pizza."

Leroy placed his chin in his hands and said, "You've been suspiciously quiet about your trip to Washington, and I'm concerned it didn't go the way I hoped it would. Tori and LJ are telling me nothing beyond their usual foolishness. I mean," he stopped to gesture at her hair and added, "Your hair alone is a big change. Hiram also may or may not have chewed my ear off about a couple of suspected body modifications as well."

"I had a belly button ring, but I took it out. That's as far as piercings go besides my ears."

"I feel like there's a but coming."

Rachel rolled up her sleeve and pointed to the Aries ram inked onto her wrist. "I got this one for LJ on his birthday," she said. Then she pointed to the Aquarius sign right beside it, adding, "And this one, obviously, for Tori."

"Okay, so two-

"Not finished," she interrupted.

Leroy blinked as Rachel pulled up her shirt. On one hip, a wolf with brown eyes. On the other, a lion with green eyes, both of which took Leroy off guard by the sheer amount of detail.

"Since when do you like wolves and lions enough to tattoo them on your body?" he asked.

"They will mean more in the future. I hope, but know that a lot of thought went into these seemingly random animals. I wouldn't put just anything on my body."

"Oh, of course," Leroy said quickly.

Rachel lowered her shirt and nodded in relief. Leroy sighed and tapped his fingers against the island. "You still haven't told me about your trip. All this is telling me is that you got a little needle happy at a parlor with your siblings. School? Singing? Did you join any clubs at your high school? Did you join any activities in the neighborhood? Come on, fill me in. You were gone for a year, Rae."

"The trip was interesting at first. I learned a lot about myself in a matter of months. The Rachel Berry from Lima was introduced to a lifestyle that she knew nothing about and had to assimilate with relatively quickly. Tori took a pair of scissors to my hair, LJ burned my clothes on the front lawn, and Mama Berry force-fed me food whenever she could because she felt like I was too skinny."

"Well, you have filled out a little bit."

Rachel glowered at the comment but chose not to respond. "Anyway, the school was boring. I was in advanced classes and still felt like I was learning beneath my grade level. That led to boredom, which led to skipping, which led to getting caught by truancy officers with Tori, and all that came with it. Clubs? I joined the art club for a bit, but I can't draw so I'm not too sure how I managed that. Activities? Does going to strip clubs every Friday night count as activities in the neighborhood? Umm, as for singing, I haven't sung in a long time. Not even in the shower."

"W-wow. That, uh, wow." Leroy scrunched his face. "You seriously lived it up while you were there, huh?" he asked.

"I wouldn't say that, but I did live a different life than what I was used too."

"It would appear that way, but Seattle moves at a different speed than Lima, Ohio. Can't fault you for blending in with the crowd."

Rachel saw him hesitate, his mouth opening and closing, and she sighed as she said, "I fucked up, Daddy. I know I did. I only had one episode while I was out there. I was at a party with Tori, and before I got to upset, she dragged me outside and backed me into a car. I thought she was going to hit me, but she just looked me in the eyes and told me that I needed to find a different outlet. After that, she would help me channel my anger into something productive like boxing."

Leroy closed his eyes and deflated in his chair. "I have a confession to make," he murmured.

Rachel snapped the rubber-band in a rhythm and looked away. "If you're about to tell me you called Mama Berry to check in on me every day, then don't bother. She gave me a heads-up the second time it happened," she said.

"I'm sorry. I was trying to give you a wide berth, but when you turned off your phone, I got worried and-

"Daddy, it's fine. I understand."

Leroy reached across the table and grabbed the fingers steadily snapping the rubber band against her wrist. He squeezed them, and Rachel quickly snatched her hand away and placed it under the table. He looked at her and said, "I'm sorry."

"It doesn't matter," she said. "What happened is in the past, and I don't want to keep focusing on it."

"Rae-

"I'm tired," she lied. "Can I go to sleep please?"

"Sure. Go ahead. I'll clean up down here," he said softly.

Rachel gave him a short nod and jumped from her seat, nearly sprinting her way to her room. She passed by the guest room where LJ was staying, and barely reacted to her brother opening the door and calling her name. She ignored him and closed the door on his face, locking it behind her. Somewhat thankful for the soundproofed room, Rachel screamed as loud as she could for as long as she could. When she finished, Rachel inhaled and exhaled five times, and had it not been for her exhaustion, she would have screamed more.

Instead, she flopped face-down on her bed and forced herself to fall asleep.


	3. Chapter 3

** If you haven't read the A/N from 1 & 2, then I suggest you do so before you keep reading. I changed certain aspects of the story, and I don't want you getting confused about the name changes and attitude adjustment from the main characters.**

**-RCV**

* * *

Rachel sunk down in the passenger seat the closer they got to the school. Her nerves were shot, and she was starting to regret coming back. Besides Puck, Rachel was adamant and purposeful about not letting anyone else know she was back in town. She didn't need or want undesired visitors stopping by while she was home. When she pointed out the school, Tori turned into the lot. Rachel watched the students, some familiar and some new, trek inside. Her gaze landed on a couple of red and white uniforms disappearing into the gym, and her stomach twisted. They weren't the ones she was hoping to see. As Tori searched for a spot, Puck jogged out and started waving his arms wildly, pointing to an empty spot next to his truck.

"Who is that?" Tori asked.

"My best friend, Noah, but everyone calls him Puck."

"I guess."

Tori honked at Puck to move, and he slid to the side as she parked. He waited for them to get out of the car. The moment he saw Rachel, he hugged her tight and kissed the top of her head.

"You two must be Tori and LJ," he said. "I'm Puck."

"Why?" Tori asked.

"My last name is Puckerman. Don't like being called Noah," he said.

"Fair."

Puck jerked his head at the school and said, "Welcome to Hell."

"Based on what I heard from Rae, it isn't as bad as our last school," LJ said, getting out of the car. "Slushies and insane cheerleaders were signs of a good Monday for us."

Puck scoffed and folded his arms. "Oh, come on, there's no way your old school is worse than McKinley," he said.

Tori blinked at Puck and locked the doors to the car. In the deadpan tone she was starting to be known for, she said, "Seniors poured bleach mixed with Pine-Sol on the heads of any student unlucky enough to show up to school on the last week. Our teachers get caught smoking weed in their cars before class, and some even get caught fucking on the back stairs during lunch. Our basketball coach put a camera in the girls' locker room and charged ten bucks for boys and teachers alike to peek at his footage after hours. LJ, the lovely brother that he is, paid the fee to see what it was all about and nearly got arrested for trying to attack the coach after he discovered I was the most watched student in the premium package. Imagine hearing that a sixty-year-old man recorded you and charged other men to jack off to you changing clothes."

Puck's eyes were nearly bugging from his head as he turned to Rachel. "And you went there for a whole year!" he exclaimed.

Rachel shrugged. Capitol Hall was quite possibly the worst high school in history. It made McKinley look like a private school. "All I will say is that I was most watched student number five, and I was the one who caught the teachers having sex. Mostly because I was skipping class and hoping I could hide out for an hour," she said.

"Who are you?" Puck whispered.

Rachel rolled her eyes and said, "I haven't changed."

Puck scoffed and threw his arm over her shoulder as they started to walk into the school. "Not changed? I saw you destroy a pepperoni pizza like you hadn't eaten in years when the last time I saw you, you were a vegan. You have on a pair of tight leather pants, some combat boots, and a cropped hoodie. Your hair is dyed light brown with blonde streaks, and you have on eyeliner. Don't stand there and tell me you're the same person. Honestly, seeing you today sealed it for me."

Rachel warily glanced at Puck as she asked, "Sealed what?"

He opened the door and said, "That you, Rachel Berry, are an enigma of epic proportions."

The moment she walked through the door, several eyes widened in shock, and she immediately made a left turn, heading towards the front office. Using the excuse that Tori and LJ needed their schedules, she shooed Puck away with a promise to meet him later. She kept her head down and walked quickly, only slowing when Tori called her name.

"What happened to the girl that was talking herself up in the mirror this morning? You know, the one hyping herself up? What happened to her?"

"She chickened out and went for coffee," Rachel muttered.

"You don't even drink coffee," LJ said. He then grabbed her arm, stopping their walk, and added, "What the hell is it with this school, this town, that turns you into a wallflower?"

"It's complicated, and I'm not a wallflower. I just want to finish this last year without interacting with many people and move on with my life."

"That's literally the definition of a wallflower," LJ said.

Rachel grunted and started walking back to the office. The conversation ceased for the moment, and she half-heartedly pointed out different rooms and places in the school. By the time they got to the front office, LJ was still confused as to why the Art club met in the science lab while the chemistry club met in the art room. Tori was too busy dreaming about the pool Rachel told her about, and Rachel was on the lookout for any familiar faces. She didn't want them seeing her before she was ready. Catching a glimpse of Tina and Kurt leaving the nurse's office, Rachel quickly hid behind LJ. They were too engrossed in their conversation to notice, and when they were gone, Rachel sighed in relief.

"Who were they?" LJ asked.

"Kurt and Tina," she muttered.

"Kurt is the gossipy one and Tina is the fake stutter one?" Tori said.

"Yes," Rachel sighed.

"Huh. I'm not impressed," LJ said.

"Just, come on," Rachel said, leading them through the main office.

"Who is the blonde lady glaring at us and coming at us like a train off the tracks?" LJ asked.

Rachel was confused. She glanced where LJ was pointing, seeing the one and only Sue Sylvester coming towards them. "Oh, fuck me," she groaned.

"Not really into that kind of thing, but whatever floats your boat," LJ joked.

"What- that's, shut up!" Rachel hissed. "I only meant that-

"You three, with me, in my office. Now," Sue interrupted, not once stopping her stride as she passed them.

Rachel groaned and grabbed their arms. "Trust me when I say she is not the type of person you want to annoy or disobey," she said.

"I got that from the tracksuit and choppy haircut. Quite progressive and conservative at the same time. I applaud the contradiction," LJ said.

"You would considering you've been rocking the same Danny Zuko leather jacket and jerry curl hair combo since we were in middle school," Tori pointed out.

The comment wasn't what caused Rachel to laugh. It was the look on LJ's face afterward, and it was that same laugh that caused two heads to turn in unison in their direction. When Sue opened her office door and ushered them inside, Rachel was the last one, and she just so happened to be the one responsible for closing the door. As she did so, her eyes met one pair of brown and one pair green. Rachel winked before she shut the door.

* * *

Santana and Quinn walked down the hall hand in hand. She would be the first to admit that their relationship took an interesting turn over the summer. They were usually quick to go at each other's throats, but that summer, their fighting became non-existent. They discovered it one day when Quinn walked in on Santana having a little meltdown. Their second clue was when they were drunk and shared a kiss. It was weird for them both.

"Where's your head?" Quinn asked.

"In the clouds."

"Tell me something I don't know," Quinn teased.

Santana stopped them and pushed Quinn into the lockers. She gripped her waist and bent down, whispering in her ear, "I want to take you against these lockers. Right here. Right now."

Quinn moaned under her breath and whined, "Not fair."

Santana nipped Quinn's neck and broke away. Quinn exhaled and the two continued their walk as if nothing happened. They turned the corner and saw Brittany at the end of the hall. Santana growled under her breath.

"You got to stop thinking about it, San," Quinn murmured. "It's been a year."

"Easy for you to say. She wasn't your girlfriend at the time," Santana said.

"True, but she did fuck my boyfriend at the time. So."

"Ugh. How'd you even know I was looking at her? I could've been looking at that weird kid with the shirt."

"You mean Sam?"

"Same thing."

Quinn snorted. "You're ridiculous," she said. "Come on, we have that meeting with Sue and we shouldn't be late."

"Right. Something about taking the new students around for the day?"

"Yeah. New students in Lima? It's probably some poor souls who got tricked by Sue into joining the cheerleading program."

"Or maybe blackmailed," Santana muttered.

The two made their way to Sue's office. No one said anything as they strolled through the halls. It was a new normal for McKinley, seeing Quinn and Santana as a duo instead of as a triplet. Brittany was off the squad and almost always with Kurt, Finn or Artie. They'd also left the Glee club. It was a shared belief that the amount of tension between Santana, Finn, Quinn, and Brittany would've suffocated the entire group, so they left. It was also a shared belief that had Rachel still been there, Finn wouldn't have gone after Brittany, and Santana wouldn't have gotten suspended, ruining her chances for a cheerleading scholarship. Quinn wouldn't have been at her house all those nights, keeping her company, and they wouldn't have grown that close.

They blamed Rachel for about two days, and then realized her leaving was the best thing that ever happened to them. And then, six months later, they realized that her leaving was the worst thing that ever happened to them. Sure, they missed performing, but they didn't think it was worth it without Rachel.

They didn't think a lot of things were worth it without Rachel.

"Hey, wanna make a bet? You think it's two girls, two boys, or-

The two stopped when a familiar laugh reached their ears. Santana looked at Quinn, and Quinn looked at Santana, and they both turned the corner. They stared directly into Sue's office as the door was closing. Startled brown eyes, so familiar and so foreign all the same, stared back at them and when the door shut, they could've sworn they saw her wink.

"Was that-

"Yeah."

"So we weren't dreaming?"

"Nope. That was most definitely Rachel Berry."

"Oh fuck."


	4. Chapter 4

**As this is an AU, there will be a lot of characters who will be OOC, and then there are some who will be exactly the same. **

**Next chapter, the Glee Club makes an unexpected appearance. **

**-RCV**

* * *

"You look like a stripper."

Rachel glanced at Sue standing off to the side, the nightmare of a coach pouring coffee into her mug, and she said, "Thanks."

"How long are you back?"

"Until I graduate."

"Why?"

Though she expected the question, Rachel was still unable to form a proper response. She wanted to lie, but Sue would see through it. She wanted to be vague, but Sue would keep pressing. So, she decided to tell the truth.

"I have unfinished business here."

Sue raised an eyebrow as she sat down behind her desk. "Does this business have four legs, four arms, and an unhealthy amount of anger coursing through its veins?" she asked.

"What? No. Seriously?"

"You were quite obvious, but if they're not the sole reason you returned, what is?"

"As much as I loved Seattle, Lima, in all its fucked-up glory, is home. I felt like I was running if I stayed away."

"You made a mistake, Rachel, but that doesn't mean you can't bounce back from it."

The sincerity in Sue's voice caught Rachel off guard, and that was before she realized Sue knew about what happened. That time, she did ask how she knew.

"I have a connection in the police force here who likes to talk when he gets drunk. He stumbled across me while I was out getting dinner for me and my partner. He figured since you went to school here, that I would know you. He told me what happened. Then, a week later, you transferred. It took me three days to fully come to terms with what I learned, but by that time, you were gone."

Rachel sighed as she sat down. "I did not attack him without cause."

"I know."

Rachel gave a short nod and started chewing on her lip. The group sat in silence for all of thirty seconds before Sue gave in and asked, "Who are the extras with you? The reject Misfit wannabes?"

"You're one to talk," LJ scoffed. "You look like the main character in a lesbian porno."

"LJ!" Rachel exclaimed.

"Don't worry. I wasn't offended. I actually thought it was pretty average for someone of his track record."

LJ narrowed his eyes and asked, "What are you talking about?"

Sue smiled and gestured to the folders on her desk. She said, "I know who you are, smart one. I always do my research on the new students. I reached out to a colleague in the Washington school system and asked him for a little information on you two. I even had him send me over your files, Rachel, so I can see if you were just as annoying there as you were here. Boy was I shocked."

She picked up the closest folder, opened it, and began to read, "Leroy Michael Berry Junior. An immensely, talented student with the potential to do great things. Intelligent, brilliant with numbers, and a scientific prodigy. Knowledgeable about concepts and theories that most students don't learn until their last year of college. The administration thought about offering you dual-enrollment, but behavioral issues prevented any further advancement. I have a quote here from one of your teachers that called you a genius with the potential to kill off mankind."

Rachel closed her eyes and sunk down in her seat. LJ smiled and said nothing.

Picking up the second folder, Sue cleared her throat, and said, "Victoria Giselle Berry. A beyond gifted student in any subject that she studies. A prodigy in classical piano and violin. Your swim coach believed you could receive a Division 1 scholarship to any school in the country, and be on your way to the Olympics, but behavioral issues cause scouts and college coaches a reason to hesitate. One of your teachers called you a cold-hearted, apathetic bitch who had no concern for anyone but herself. Others said that you had your head so far up your ass that you couldn't even smell your own shit. I personally liked that line."

Tori barely batted an eye at the comments, choosing to stare blankly at the spot between Sue's eyes. Rachel rubbed her temples. She knew her siblings were...temperamental...but she had hoped it would stay in Lima. Then she remembered Sue had a file about her. Rachel dropped her hands and stared at Sue as she picked up the final folder.

"This last file, I must say, truly caught me off-guard. Should I ask around this school, I would get very different answers about one, Rachel Barbra Berry." Sue smiled before she continued, "Rachel is an average student with the potential to be labeled gifted. Purposely does enough to pass the class but clearly shows a complete understanding of the subject. Did not fully participate in any clubs. One of your teachers says he caught you singing in the auditorium after hours and was blown away by the strength of your voice. When he offered you a lead solo in the upcoming musical, you gave him the finger and told him to go suck himself."

Rachel remembered that. She winced and elbowed LJ when he started to snicker.

"The administration highly believed you were suffering from some form of trauma, as when you arrived, they monitored you and discovered that despite the reports from McKinley, you were withdrawn, unmotivated, and disinterested. Spent too much time with her siblings and not enough time at school. Often caught skipping classes and leaving school premises during school hours. Counselors believed you were uncaring about your future with no clear path selected for after high school. One teacher is quoted as saying Rachel is an enigma. Not angry, but not happy. Not quiet, but not loud. She has her brother's gifts, but her sister's communication skills."

Sue started chuckling and had to shake her head for a moment, giving pause to the conversation. Rachel let her laugh, and when the woman collected herself, she finished reading, "And this one, this is one is what caught me off guard. Another teacher called you a loser who would end up homeless or in jail."

The woman started laughing again, harder, and LJ shot forward in his seat.

"I don't see what's so funny about that, you-

Rachel placed her hand on LJ's arm and shook her head. "That's not what she's laughing at," she said.

"Huh?"

"She's laughing at the difference between the me from that school and the me from this school. She was right when she said if she were to ask anyone here about me, then that file would read completely different. I was the most annoying student here a year ago. I was loud, obnoxious, irritating, and I joined every club because I wanted to be in every picture in the yearbook. I did extra credit, tutoring, AP classes, and was always the first one in the classroom. I never got in trouble, never got suspended or sent to the principal's office, and I never had any real friends. People only tolerated me because I did their homework. That's what she's laughing at."

"You had AP classes?" Tori asked. "You? The person who does her homework at the very last minute? The person that literally reads the front page and the back page of a book and bullshits her way through a research paper?"

"Or the person that never came to school with a backpack? Only a pencil, a notebook, and a pack of gum?" LJ said.

Rachel groaned and said, "The point is, I was different here, and I imagine some people aren't going to let me forget that."

"You would be correct," Sue chimed in. "When William discovered you were coming back, he was almost disgustingly happy."

"I'm not rejoining Glee," Rachel said sharply.

"I figured, but they don't and won't accept that. I'm the only one with access to these files. They have no idea who you are anymore. I was going to show them this file, but I would rather watch the show."

Rachel ignored the last part and said, "I just want to graduate and move on from here."

Sue, sighed, stood up from her chair and walked around her desk. She sat down on the edge in front of them and said quietly, "I will be candid with you Rachel. The moment you walk out of that door and go back into that hallway, you will not be able to have that quiet, withdrawn life that you were used to in Seattle. They will treat you the same as they did before and your response will determine whether you have changed or if you are the same person. All jokes aside, I am happy that you are back, I really am, but I will be the first to tell you that this will be the hardest year of your life. You will not be the same Lima reject that you were when you left. You will be the Lima idiot who came back, and because some of them can't fathom why you would return, they will make you wish you hadn't. Be careful, and despite what you think, I do want you to succeed here. You are way too talented to let a mistake like that cost you your life. If you need me, my door is always open. Okay?"

Rachel blinked and stammered, "I-uh, sure? What- I'm confused. Why are you being nice to me?"

Sue smirked and stood up, walking over to the door. "I promised Leroy I would look out for you three. I was one of the few people he called for late night drinks when he couldn't handle not having you around. I heard many things about you from him, things I'm sure he would never tell me if he were sober."

Rachel tensed and cleared her throat, "I see. Well, thanks."

"You're welcome. Like I said, come to me if you need anything. I will say that I managed to score you and your siblings some tour guides and bodyguards for the day."

The look and smile on Sue's face made Rachel pause, and her heart dropped into her stomach as she said, "You didn't."

Sue didn't respond. Instead, she opened the door to reveal Santana and Quinn hunched over each other, whispering and gesturing widely. When Sue coughed, the two popped up and wore matching sheepish looks on their faces.

"Hey, Coach. We're here to take those new students around for the day," Quinn said, her eyes darting into the room.

"Glad to see you two haven't lost your sense of punctuality. Lopez, Fabray, this is Leroy and Victoria Berry," Sue said, gesturing to the two closest to Rachel.

"It's LJ."

"And I'm Tori."

Sue then pointed directly at Rachel and said, "And I'm sure you remember the short one in the middle."

"You already know my name. Though I remember you two making plenty nicknames for me the last time I was here."

Sue ushered them out of her office, and before the door closed, she gave them a slight wave and told Rachel, "Remember what I said. No matter what."

Rachel nodded and followed the group down the halls. So far, McKinley looked the same, but the people inside were not.

* * *

"Coach gave us your schedules, and it seems like we all pretty much share the same classes."

"Of course, we do," Rachel sighed.

"What was that, Berry?" Santana said.

"I said of course we do," she repeated.

Santana seemed shocked at the response, but she recovered quickly. "If I were you, Berry, I would watch that tone of yours."

Rachel, already annoyed with the attitude, stopped walking and rubbed her eyes. "Look, we're not doing this. Okay? We're just not. I'm not going to whimper and cowl just because you want me too. I'm also not going to be afraid of an ice bath so should you two have one planned for my siblings and me as some welcome back surprise, I highly suggest you cancel it and just let us get through this school year on our own. It's not like we need the tour guide anyway. I know where the damn classes are."

"Coach asked us to do it, so we're going to do it," Quinn said slowly. "As for the other things-

"Who do you think you are?" Santana interrupted, stepping into Rachel's personal space.

Quinn sighed. "San, let it go," she said.

"Yeah, San, let it go," Rachel said mockingly, though part of her was hurt Santana reverted back to old habits. She added in a cold voice, "I am not the same scared little girl you bullied every day because she was obviously stronger and less closeted than you. So, you either get out of my face, hand me our schedules, and go about your merry way, or treat me like a decent human being and be the nice little tour guide Coach Sue asked you to be."

Santana's eyes darkened, but she said nothing. Rachel then scoffed, stepping to the side to talk to Quinn directly.

"My siblings are capable of continuing this on their own. Do you mind showing them around? I'll meet up with everyone later. Don't really need to do the homeroom thing again," she said.

"Uh, s-sure," Quinn stammered, glancing at the back of Santana's head.

"Thanks." Rachel turned to her siblings and added, "See you later?"

"Naturally," Tori said.

Taking that for what it was, Rachel walked around Santana and continued down the hall. She trusted LJ and Tori to be able to take care of themselves with the madness that would follow soon, but she did not trust herself. Not yet. Knowing there was really only one place she could hide out and not get caught, Rachel detoured down a familiar hallway and tried to calm her racing heart. Having Santana so close, vanilla and cinnamon attacking her senses, nearly made her forget the rules she'd established for herself. Remembering that she would inevitably see Santana and Quinn later, Rachel's shoulders hunched forward.

Damn.


	5. Chapter 5

**Mistakes are mine**

**-RCV**

* * *

After the tour, Santana and Quinn were both still recovering from Rachel's un-Rachel-like outburst. Thanks to the Gossip Twins, Rachel's arrival spread quickly around the school by the first period bell. Santana knew she should've changed her number after she received the mass text message from the Glee Club. Fucking idiots thought Rachel would jump back into the chaos. Santana sighed as LJ took the seat next to her. She wanted to be annoyed, but she would admit he was better conversation than most people. She saw Tori and Quinn sit at the desk beside them, and whispered a quick prayer for whoever would be unlucky enough to date Tori. The girl was a sociopath, and Santana couldn't figure out how but Tori and Quinn hit it off immediately. If that wasn't an indication that something was off, then nothing else would be. Of course, that made Santana think about her own relationship with Quinn, and that gave her a headache, so she gave up.

"Why did you and blondie torment my sister?"

Santana grimaced. "She told you that?"

"Rachel was an open book in Seattle. She told me all about her experience here, but I wanna hear it from one of her main tormentors."

Santana twitched and said, "I really wish you would stop calling me that."

"Would you prefer her one-time lover?"

Santana's eyes widened. "She told you that too?"

"She admitted it offhandedly."

"What happened between us-

"If you say an accident, a mistake, or a misunderstanding, I'll slam your face onto the table and leave your face print in the marble," he deadpanned.

Santana shifted in her seat a little at the threat, knowing he was being serious, and said, "I was going to say what happened between us shouldn't have happened in that way. I don't regret having sex with her. I just wish it wasn't under those circumstances."

"What? Drunk?"

"No, angry. I was angry at my girlfriend at the time and took it out on someone who probably didn't even know she was a distraction. But like I said, I don't regret the sex. It was better than the sex I was having at the time," Santana paused and added, "Do not tell her I said that."

"Not my business. Why did you torment her? And don't lie."

"Because I was jealous of her. She was confident in herself and I wasn't. I hated what she stood for, and I thought if I could break her then it would make me feel better. It didn't."

LJ hummed. He patted her shoulder and said, "Tori and I decided early on that you and Quinn have a second chance with her. Don't fuck it up."

"Noted," Santana muttered.

"Tell me who I need to avoid. My sister and I aren't the friendly types."

"I would have never guessed," Santana said wryly. "Avoid anyone in the Glee Club. Avoid most of the teachers. Everyone but me, Quinn, and your sisters. Puck is okay. I can't think of anyone else."

"Ah yes, I remember the stories about the Glee Club. I'd never seen Rachel go through a bottle of whiskey like that."

"They're a special breed of fucked," Santana muttered, looking at a couple that had just entered the room.

"Name them again?" he said, pulling out his phone.

"Kurt and Mercedes, Tina, Mike, Sam, Blaine, Finn, Brittany, and Artie. Though I'm sure I'm missing some," she said, cocking her head. "It changed before we disbanded. People joined, and others left. Honestly, I don't even remember."

"Fair enough," he said distractedly.

LJ finished typing on his phone and passed it over to Tori, who took it with as much enthusiasm as one would at a three-hour lecture on rocket science. She read over it, her eyes showing no emotion, and she passed it back to him with a slight head nod. Santana could easily see an entire conversation pass between them, and LJ put his phone back into his pocket. There was a beat of time where LJ seemed content to scowl at anyone who looked at him, something Santana found more amusing than she cared to admit, before he turned to her.

"What is your relationship with Quinn?" he asked.

"I guess telling you we're just friends won't pass?"

LJ raised an eyebrow, and Santana ran a hand down her face. "It's complicated. She's my best friend, and yeah, we kiss and hold hands and have sex, but we both know there's more to it," she said.

"And Rachel? How does she play into this?"

"What makes you think she does?"

"I read people. That interaction today in the hallway was charged with so much sexual tension that it could power an entire city."

Santana glanced at Quinn, the blonde not even pretending that she wasn't listening, and sighed. "I have feelings for Rachel as well," she said. "As does Quinn."

"Really?" LJ mused. "Good."

"Good? Why good?"

LJ jerked his head towards the door as Rachel entered. The girl ignored the whispers and the hand-pointing, and she sat down in the only empty seat, which was unfortunate.

"You should probably switch seats with your sister," Santana said.

"Who is that?"

Santana had a weird look in her eyes as she spoke. "Finn," she said. "He doesn't have a good track record with Rachel."

LJ had obviously heard the name before, and he moved quickly. He tapped Rachel on the shoulder, jerked his thumb to the back, and Rachel seemed relieved. Santana then realized Rachel would be sitting in the seat beside her, which…in hindsight…was a bad idea. LJ sat next to Finn and pulled out his phone, ignoring Finn completely. Santana caught Quinn glaring at her from the corner of her eye and she rolled her eyes. She looked at Rachel, who was already smirking, and Santana huffed.

"I'm sorry about earlier," she gritted out. "I resorted to old habits, and that wasn't fair of me."

"Oh, so you finally remembered that I've seen you naked?" Rachel said.

"Why would- wait, are you not mad at me?" Santana asked.

"No, I'm pissed at you, but I can't take it out on you in class now can I?"

Santana tried not to pout, she really did, but she failed. Rachel snorted and leaned forward onto her elbows. The action caused her hoodie to rise even more, and Santana caught sight of tanned skin and a tattoo of a wolf.

"Won't your girlfriend mind all the staring you're doing?" Rachel asked, smirking.

Santana blinked and tore her eyes away from the tattoo. "How did you-

"Two and two will always equal four," Rachel said, glancing over at Santana. There was a playful look in her eyes, but Santana could also see something else. She was definitely regretting not picking the other sibling. At least she knew where she stood with Tori. Santana glanced at Quinn, who shrugged helplessly, and then looked back at Rachel.

"Don't be too shocked. Rumors here are not always about me," she said. "I know all about you and Quinn. It's very sweet."

"I can't tell if you're being sarcastic."

Rachel winked and that's when the teacher walked into the room. Santana stared at the side of Rachel's head for the longest before she gave up trying to figure out what happened. Rachel was openly flirting with her even though she knew she was dating Quinn. It was like The Twilight Zone.

Santana shook her head and laid it down on the table. She had a headache and it felt like her world was spinning. She kept it like that for a majority of the class. When she wasn't painfully aware of Rachel sitting so close, Santana was dreading their next period. She'd glanced at the schedules for mostly everyone while she was in Coach Sue's office, and knew where most people were at all times of the day. They got lucky with just Tina and Artie having their first period, but the Gossip Twins had their second period, and she was almost positive that one of them would say something stupid.

They might even try and sing a damn song to try and 'woo' Rachel back to Glee.


	6. Chapter 6

**Reminders: Friendships are not as they seem, and again, some characters are extremely OOC. I took creative liberties and I'm not ashamed of that.**

**Song: Stay by Zedd and Alessia Cara**

**-RCV**

* * *

Santana was off by a few hours, but she hated being right when it came to the Glee Club. No one sang during their second period, third period, or their lunch period. Instead, they decided to ambush Rachel at the end of the day when everyone was gone or leaving. The only bright part of it was that LJ and Tori were introduced to the shit show that was the re-united McKinley High Glee Club. The song choice was interesting to say the least.

_Waiting for the time to pass you by_

_Hope the winds of change will change your mind_

_I could give a thousand reason why_

_And I know you, and you've got to_

Santana leaned against the lockers with LJ while Quinn, Puck and Tori stood on the other side of the hall. Santana saw Quinn and Puck cringe, and she snickered at the disgusted look on Tori's face.

"Do they normally sing these types of songs?" LJ whispered in her ear. "I thought Glee was a show choir for like Broadway and stuff."

_Make it on your own, but we don't have to grow up_

_We can stay forever young_

_Living on my sofa, drinking rum and cola_

_Underneath the rising sun_

_I could give a thousand reasons why_

_But you're going, and you know that_

"We dabbled outside of the bright lights now and then," Santana said distractedly.

"But Zedd is a pretty bold choice," LJ said.

"I never said we were any good with it," she replied.

_All you have to do is stay a minute_

_Just take your time_

_The clock is ticking, so stay_

"Rachel isn't going to react well to this," he pointed out. "You do know that, right?"

"I do."

"Why haven't you stopped it?"

"I want to watch them crash and burn."

"You are a sick and twisted individual."

"I've only known you for a few hours, and I can confidently say that comment coming from you is like the pot calling the kettle black."

LJ waved her off and said, "Semantics."

Santana rolled her eyes and looked back at Quinn. She noticed Tori was whispering in Quinn's ear, and also that Quinn was turning red. It wasn't the sexually frustrated red, it was the highly embarrassed red.

"What is your sister doing to Quinn?"

"Ah, the same thing I've been doing to you all day. Asking questions about your relationship, about Rachel, about Glee," LJ said.

"That seems like it's going as well as mine did," she muttered.

"Worse, probably. Tori doesn't really have a filter. She pretty much says something and deals with the consequences later. I remember freshman year, she threatened to blow up the principal's car, and she ended up having to spend the night in jail. Apparently, they take threats like that seriously."

Santana blinked at LJ and said, "Is your sister certified?"

"In what?" he asked confusedly.

"Nevermind," Santana sighed.

_Won't admit what I already know_

_I've never been the best at letting go_

_I don't wanna spend the night alone_

_Guess I need you, and I need to_

"This song isn't exactly giving off the vibe I'm assuming they were looking for," LJ said. "This sounds like something I would sing to my boyfriend or something. Well, if I had a boyfriend or something and I needed to prove to him that I'm better with-

"Oh my God, please shut up," Santana interrupted. "I swear you're nearly as bad as Puck sometimes."

"Why? Is he gay too?"

Santana's eyes rolled so far back into her head she could've sworn she saw her brain before she huffed, "He's bisexual, but you both don't know when to shut up."

"Rude."

"Tell me something I don't know."

LJ bent down and placed his hand on her arm, whispering, "Rachel used to have sex dreams about you when we lived in Seattle."

Santana jerked away from him so fast that she banged her elbow against the locker and bit through her lip. She glared at him.

"That reaction was almost as satisfying as I anticipated."

"What is wrong with you? Why would you tell me that?" she exclaimed.

"Because you challenge me to be better. I have to struggle to keep up with you in our banter, but finally, I have the upper hand. It's extremely satisfying for someone like me to be on top."

"You're such a fucking-

Someone spun her around, and she nearly punched them in the stomach had it not been for the hand instinctively pushing down her right wrist.

"It's just me," Quinn said.

"Even more reason for me to gut check you. You know better than to sneak up on me," she said.

"She called your name like twice," Tori said, coming to stand by LJ. "You just have poor hearing."

"I would respond, but I feel like you would slice my neck open with your nails."

"That's a reasonable fear," Tori drawled.

After a beat, Santana asked, "You're certified, aren't you?"

"What does that even mean?" LJ whined.

Tori ignored her brother and blew Santana a kiss before tugging him off and starting an entirely new conversation. Santana blinked and shuddered as she faced Quinn.

"How are you able to hold a conversation with her?" she asked.

"I can hold a conversation with you, can't I? You're both ticking time bombs."

"Yeah, except I'm the type of bomb you put in a mailbox while she's a nuclear weapon."

"They're both deadly," Quinn said wryly.

"I leave you with second-degree burns and physical therapy. She'll leave you with six eyes and four hands singing the alphabet while you push your shopping cart full of dismembered family members down the street."

Quinn stared at her for a long moment, long enough for the song to end, and she eventually said, "We need to talk about your addiction to nuclear zombie games."

Santana scoffed and said, "There is nothing to talk about, thank you very much. Now hush, I want to watch the show." She pointed over to where Rachel was standing at the far end of the hall. Mr. Schue and the rest of the Glee Club walked over to her. They were giddy and excited, coming over and surrounding her with hugs and compliments. When LJ and Tori brushed past them, Santana and Quinn followed after them and hoped that nothing would go wrong.

At least on their end.

Santana didn't particularly care about Kurt and the others getting hurt. She still was angry about the aftermath of Rachel's leaving. A hand grabbed hers, and she glanced over at Quinn, and the blonde leaned over and whispered, "I don't want you going off on anyone."

"Why not?" Santana gritted out. "They all deserve it."

"Maybe, but this is about Rachel. If, and only if, she needs us, then we intervene."

Santana chewed on her lip and whispered back, "We still need to talk about her, you know that, right?"

Quinn sighed and nodded, squeezing her hand as they reached the group. It took a second for everyone to get past that massive amount of tension. They hadn't all been together in so long, and it was obvious they were trying not to pick up right where they left off. Brittany stood as far away from Santana as possible, but the glare Santana was shooting at Finn could've been seen by the ISS millions of miles away. Quinn was full on ignoring everyone, and Puck was clenching and unclenching his fists as he stared at Sam. All in all, it was going as well as she thought it would.

"Did you think that performing in front of me would have me come back? Beg to rejoin the group?" Rachel asked, breaking the tension.

"We wanted to get your attention," Kurt said. "We made a mistake before, and we just wanted to show that we were sorry."

"Sure," Rachel said. "But I'm not rejoining the Glee Club anymore. I don't," Rachel paused and changed the subject, "If you guys really want to win, then you should focus more on songs like that."

"But we need you. We made a mistake in thinking we could do it without you," Kurt said. "We fell apart without you."

"Plus, who's going to keep us all in order?" Sam asked. "You were really good at being controlling."

"Wow," LJ said. "I can see why Santana and Quinn left the group. Ya'll are toxic as fuck."

"I would be careful listening to anything Satan or the Ice Queen says," Kurt snapped. "They have a bad habit of speaking on things they know nothing about."

"Says the guy who just lied straight to Rachel's face," Santana said. "Tell her the truth about what happened after she left. Tell her what you guys did to me and Quinn."

"No one cares, Satan!" Kurt shouted. "Hasn't that been made clear? No one cares about you. Your little relationship with Quinn is cute, but come on, we all know why you're really with her. She's the only one desperate enough to ride the school bicycle!"

SLAP

The group descended into silence. Kurt held his cheek as he looked at Rachel in shock. She was vibrating, and Tori slowly walked up to her sister. She wrapped her arms around Rachel and whispered something in her ear. Rachel nodded and walked off with Tori.

"Stay away from my sister," LJ threatened before he ran after Rachel and Tori.

"If you ever, and I mean ever, say what you just said about Santana again," Puck said, "I'll fucking kill you."

Puck stormed off and Santana almost walked off with him, but she couldn't. She just stared at Kurt.

"What? Going to hit me too? Threaten me?" he said.

"No. But I will say this." Santana looked around at them and shook her head. "You all tried to convince Rachel to come back under false pretenses. This group preaches family and support, blah blah blah, but it's nothing but a bunch of liars and cheaters and fucking dickheads. If you really wanted Rachel back, you would tell her what the hell went down and let her make the decision for herself based on truth and not lies."

"Did you tell her your role in all of this? Huh? Since you're so adamant we say something, how about you tell her what you did!" Brittany shouted. "Finn was in the hospital for a week."

Santana glanced at Finn. The boy put a hand on Brittany's arm and said, "Enough. We got our answer from Rachel."

"But-

"Enough, Britt," Finn said sharply, not once taking his eyes off Santana.

Santana scowled at Finn, but said nothing. She and Quinn jogged off to see if they could catch Puck or Rachel. When they reached the front door, they saw Rachel's car pulling out of the lot with Puck's truck right behind it. Quinn let go of Santana's hand and turned to her. Santana winced, already knowing what was coming.

"We have to talk about Rachel," Quinn said. "We both know the longer we wait, the harder it will be, and I don't want it to mess with what we have."

Santana nodded. "Come on, let's head to my house and we'll talk there. Alright?" she said.

Despite not being around the Glee Club, Santana still felt tension boiling in her bones as they walked to her car. She didn't want to think too hard on it, because if she did, she would know that the conversation she was about to have with Quinn could make or break their relationship.

* * *

Artie, Mike, Blaine, Mercedes, and Tina left, and Kurt, Sam, Finn, Brittany, and Mr. Schue stayed in the hallway.

"I thought you said that would work," Sam gritted out. "You said she would at least think about coming back."

"She has the wrong people whispering in her ear," Kurt said.

"You two are obviously in bad graces with Santana, and Rachel is picking up on that," Mr. Schue pointed out, talking to Finn and Brittany.

"I can handle Santana," Finn said. "Don't worry about her."

"And don't act like it's just me and Finn's fault," Brittany snapped. "Sam's the one that sent Quinn to the hospital with that stunt he pulled with her father."

"I didn't know that would happen!" Sam protested.

"Oh come on, you knew exactly what you were doing when you outed Quinn."

"Enough," Mr. Schue interrupted. "Jesus, you all played a role in what happened last year. But there's no need in dredging it all up. Just fix it."

"Why do you want the Glee Club back together again anyway?" Kurt grumbled. "We barley won anything, even with Rachel."

Mr. Schue ignored him and walked off. Kurt sighed and looked at the others.

"What about her siblings?" he asked wearily.

"No idea," Sam said. "I didn't even know she had siblings."

"All we need to do is remind Rachel that Santana and Quinn are selfish, cold-hearted bitches who will do anything to remain on top," Brittany said.

* * *

Had they been paying more attention to their surroundings, they would've seen the two people listening to their every word and they would've been a lot more careful with their words.

"Call Leroy, tell him we're coming over for dinner."

"And what exactly are we going to be telling him?"

Sue looked down at Emma, "Nothing, but I feel like Rachel has questions, and she might as well hear them from you or me. "


	7. Chapter 7

**Remember! These characters are NOT the ones you remember from the show.**

**RCV**

* * *

"Have I missed an anniversary or something? What's with all the food?"

Leroy passed Rachel a carrot to chop and took a deep breath before he faced his husband. "Sue and Emma are coming over for dinner. I haven't seen them in a few weeks, and I thought this would be a great time to have a nice little get together," he said.

"You invited people over for dinner and didn't tell me?"

"I texted you and left you a voicemail," Leroy said. "It's not my fault that you don't check your phone."

"Don't try and twist this on me. You should consult with me before things like this. How can we have a family dinner if I go into work tonight?" Hiram asked.

Leroy blinked and turned back around to face the stove. "I thought you said you were off for the next few days," he said.

"Well, there was an emergency at the office. I offered my services."

"Right because there aren't ten other lawyers who work in that one office on that one floor of that law firm," Leroy muttered.

"What was that?"

"Nothing." Leroy turned down the heat and sighed. He twisted so that he was half-facing Hiram and half-stirring the pot. "Look, you have to go to work, then go, but I'm not canceling. They're my friends-

"And I am your husband!" Hiram hissed.

There was a sharp silence that followed.

"I know you are," Leroy said softly. "But I will not cancel on them."

Hiram turned an even uglier shade of red and slammed his palm on the table. "I'm staying at the office tonight," he spat. "Maybe when I return, you'll have a better understanding of how things work around here."

"Maybe."

Hiram left the kitchen. The tension in the room became so suffocating that when Rachel's phone went off, it was like a blaring alarm that shocked people into action. LJ moved to the wine cabinet to grab the wine his father asked for, and Tori continued to set the table. Rachel pulled her phone from her pocket, ignoring the tears bristling at the corner of her father's eyes as he went back to preparing the sauce. The door slammed just as she answered the phone.

"Hello?"

_**"Uh, hey. It's, uh, me?"**_

"Me, who?" Rachel asked, knowing full and well who was on the other end.

There was a huff, a shuffle, and a muffled curse before the person said,**_ "Seriously? You know who this is."_**

"I know. What's up, Quinn?"

_**"Look, Santana and I got into a bit of an argument, and she stormed out of here about twenty minutes ago. Normally, I give her ten, and she comes back, but she hasn't, and I was wondering if you heard from her? I'm driving around now, but I'm hoping she texted you or something."**_

"No, I haven't. What was the argument about?" Rachel asked without thinking.

**_"Oh. Um. Well, that's a bit complicated. I don't-_**

"Shit, sorry, Quinn," Rachel interrupted. "That was too personal for me to ask. It's none of my business."

**_"No! No, it's not that. It's just we were arguing about, um, well, you, and it got out of hand."_**

"Me?" she said. "Why were you arguing about me?"

There was a pause.

**_"Never mind. I found her. Thanks, Rachel. Bye!"_**

Quinn hung up so fast that it took a moment for Rachel to recognize the silence on the other end wasn't because Quinn had simply stopped talking. She put the phone back in her pocket and stared off into space for a moment, the tattoos on her hips burning just like when she first got them. A hand landed on her shoulder, and she jumped, spinning to face her sister.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"Oh, yeah. I'm fine. Santana stormed out of the-," Rachel paused and frowned, "well, I'm not sure where they were, but Quinn found her. So, I guess everything is okay."

"Why is Quinn Fabray calling you?" Leroy asked. "I thought you two weren't friends."

"Um. We kind of have all of our classes together. We worked it out," Rachel said hesitantly.

"Worked it out how?"

Rachel ignored the probing eyes boring into the side of her skull and cleared her throat. "So, what time did Sue and Emma say there were coming over?" she asked.

No sooner than she'd asked, the doorbell rang, and Rachel slumped against the counter in relief. Leroy gave her one last searching look before he ran off to open the door.

"What didn't you say when he was in the room?" LJ asked.

Rachel grimaced. "She wanted to ask if I had spoken to Santana. Apparently, they'd had an argument," she murmured.

"Over what?"

"I don't know," she lied.

LJ scoffed and said, "Then why did you ask if they were having an argument about you?"

"Well, if you knew then why did you-

"I just wanted to see if you would have the balls to stand there and lie to me to my face."

Rachel rolled her eyes and started busying herself with wiping down the counter. "I don't see why it matters. She didn't tell me why they were arguing over me."

"But, you-

"LJ, stop," Tori interrupted. "This one you're not going to win. It's not our business."

"How is it not our business?" LJ exclaimed. "Don't you think we have a right to make sure-

"Not. Another. Word," Tori said to her brother. "Drop it."

LJ huffed and folded his arms, mumbling under his breath. Rachel shot Tori a thankful smile before she wiped her hands on a towel. There was laughter filtering in from the main room, and Rachel plastered the best smile she could as her father, Sue, and Emma walked into the kitchen.

At least, she thought that was Emma.

"Didn't you have red hair?" Tori drawled. "Like three hours ago?"

Emma laughed. "Oh, yes. After school, my girlfriend convinced me to change things up a bit. So, instead of strawberry red, I decided to go with a honey blonde. Does it look okay?" she asked.

Rachel filed away the girlfriend comment to bring up later, but her sister beat her to comment about the hair.

"Makes you look less cabbage patch, so, a definite upgrade in my book," Tori said, shrugging.

Rachel elbowed her sister and said, "Behave."

"It's fine. I'm not offended."

"That's not why I was telling her to behave," Rachel said wryly. "I was trying to save her from being grounded."

Emma smiled at the disgruntled huff that left Tori's lips when Leroy voiced his agreement. The group stood in the middle of the kitchen for a few more minutes, laughing and making introductions, but when the timer went off on the stove, Leroy clapped his hands and gestured towards the table.

"Please, take a seat wherever you like while I get the roast from the oven," he said, bowing at the waist.

"He only acts like this around his company. Normally, I have to fend for myself," Rachel teased.

"You're being dramatic again, dear," he sing-songed.

"Turning into the old Rachel Berry from the before time," LJ quipped.

"Speaking of the old Rachel Berry," Sue began, "how was your first day back as the 'new' Rachel Berry?" she asked.

"It went about as well as you said it would. Once the rumors started to fly, people noticed me and made comments here and there. It was like freshman year all over again. Least I didn't get a slushy."

"Yeah, it was fine and dandy until the fucking serenade she got after school," LJ grumbled.

He received a smack to the back of his head for the profanity and muttered a quick apology to his father before Rachel leaned forward on the table.

"Yeah, that was-

"Horrible."

"Tragic."

"Waste of time."

"Atrocious."

Rachel cleared her throat loudly to stop the volleying between her siblings and said, "It was embarrassing and annoying. I told them that I wasn't interested in coming back. I loved Glee once upon a time, and I loved the people in it, but things come to an end and that, unfortunately, was one of the things that I put an end to. Plus, it seems like there's some in-fighting going on anyway, and I don't want to be a part of that."

Sue and Emma shared a look over the roast that Leroy placed on the table. Everyone caught it, but Tori was the only one indifferent enough to call them out on it.

"What do you know about what happened while Rae was in Seattle?"

Sue sighed and scooped some vegetables onto her plate while Emma gratefully took a spoonful of potatoes and splatted them on the plate in front of her.

"Things happened with all of them, so who do you want to know about first?" Sue eventually answered.

"Blaine and Kurt. I noticed they weren't all over each other throughout the day. In fact, it looked as if Blaine was purposely going out of his way to avoid Kurt. When they were singing, Blaine stood as far away from Kurt as possible. Normally, they're attached at the hip and lips," Rachel said, taking a bite out of her roast.

Sue inclined her head to Emma, who swallowed her food and said, "That is a very interesting story. You see, Kurt's changed over the last few months. I don't know what happened or who he got involved with, but he's pretty much turned into this petty, entitled prick. His relationship with Blaine, well," Emma paused and shifted in her seat, "Blaine came to school one day with a black eye and refused to answer questions about it. I filed it away mentally and waited to see if I needed to contact anyone. Well, that wasn't necessary as Blaine came to me about three days later and told me Kurt hit him after they broke up. It was only once, and Kurt immediately apologized afterward, but Blaine said it was enough for him to know he made the right decision."

"Wow," Rachel said. "I would have never pegged Kurt for an abuser."

"Neither did I. I tried talking to him, but he never came to the office. I keep my eye on him though, but nothing more than that."

"Right," LJ said. "Well, that explains those two. What about the blonde one?"

"Which one?" Sue, Emma, and Rachel asked at once.

"Not Quinn," he said.

"Oh boy. That would be Brittany," Sue said, rubbing her temples. "I still don't know all the details to that one."

"I don't either," Emma admitted. "I only saw the aftermath."

"Okay, well, tell us what you do know," Rachel sighed.

"It was the week into the school year, and Brittany and Santana were still a couple…"


	8. Chapter 8

**Hello, everyone. **

**For clarification, Rachel is a senior along with Tori (who got held back a grade) and LJ (who jumped up a grade). Everyone is a senior in this story except those in canon like Tina, Artie, Blaine, etc. When Rachel left, it was her sophomore year. She left at the end of it and didn't return until a year later, which means that everything that happened with the Glee Club and everyone else happened in that year span where Rachel was in Seattle.**

** So anytime I mention a specific time unless otherwise stated, I'm referring to the period where Rachel was in Seattle and not in Lima. I hope that makes sense. I realized that the upcoming chapters could be confusing so I just wanted to clear that up ahead of time. **

**-RCV**

* * *

The doorbell interrupted whatever Sue was about to say, and Leroy pushed away from the table.

"Who could that possibly be at this time of night?" he muttered, going off to answer the door.

Sue took that opportunity to change the subject and asked, "Tori, may I ask why you're still in high school?"

Rachel sighed and continued to eat her food, resigned to having to wait to hear the story on why the Unholy Trinity was no more. It was only her first day back, and she could already sense that there was more going on behind the scenes than what Puck and her girls told her. It took a minute, but that last comment took a second to hit, and when it did, Rachel found that she shouldn't have mind-blowing revelations while eating.

"Jeezus, Rae!" LJ exclaimed, patting her on the back.

The piece of food dislodged itself after a couple of well-aimed smacks to her spine, and after making sure LJ hadn't done any other damage, Rachel took a long sip of water and waved off the questions shining in Tori's eyes.

"I'm fine," she wheezed.

"Are you sure? You want me to get you some more water?" LJ asked.

"I'm fine. I promise. Just forgot how to eat for a moment."

"That's a first," Tori murmured.

Rachel ignored the comment, knowing exactly what her sister meant, and said, "We were talking about Santana and Brittany, right?"

Sue smiled wryly and said, "Actually, I was asking why Tori was still in high school, but nice try."

"She purposely failed a test so that she could graduate with us," LJ answered.

Sue blinked and cocked her head, "What's the other reason?" she asked.

Tori snorted, and said, "No, seriously, that's the reason. I would've graduated last year. Despite my horrible track record, as you pointed out, I managed to get a scholarship to Syracuse. Unfortunately, I would've been moving to the other side of the country without my family, and I wasn't ready for that."

"Wow."

"Yeah, beneath the icy exterior, our dearest sister does, in fact, have a heart," LJ joked. "Just buried under the ice and sarcasm."

"That won't be the only thing buried before the end of the night if you don't shut up," Tori growled.

Rachel waited until she'd finished chewing her food before she tried to respond, but then she realized her father hadn't returned. She leaned back in her chair, hoping that maybe she could catch a glimpse of him from the kitchen, and unfortunately, she did. Rachel slammed her fork down on the table and got up from her chair so hard and fast that it went flying across the room. She practically ran into the living room and brushed past her father, nearly pushing the officer standing on her threshold out of the house.

"You have NO right to be here," she spat.

"Miss Berry, I assure you I am only here for your benefit. It would be in you and your father's best interest to have a seat and listen to what I have to say."

Leroy sighed heavily and rubbed his forehead. "Look, Officer Simmons, as I was telling you before my daughter arrived, neither one of us will be sitting with you or having any type of conversations with you. Rachel is not obligated to talk to you, and if you come by my house again, I will sue you and the department for harassment."

"Again?" Rachel repeated. "What do you mean by again?"

A throat clearing put a pause to the conversation and the trio turned to find Sue and Emma standing in the living room, LJ and Tori right behind them. Rachel ground her teeth in annoyance. She was hoping that she could avoid the whole conversation about a vindictive cop until her second week of school and not the very first day.

"John?" Sue said, narrowing her eyes. "What are you doing here?"

"How do you know him?" Rachel asked.

"Wait, John as in your ex-husband John?" Emma asked.

Sue made a face and said, "The one and the same."

"I thought he moved to Columbus."

"So did I," Sue said slowly. "Which brings me to my original question, what are you doing here, Johnathon?"

"I missed my home and wanted to retire here, not in Columbus. As for why I am at the house, I was merely informing the Berry family of new development in Rachel's case. I was trying to get ahead of things, but I was not aware you and your-," he paused, and his face screwed up as if he'd swallowed something sour, "friend would be here as well."

"Girlfriend," Emma corrected.

"I thought her case was closed," Sue said. "It was self-defense."

"That was before the new evidence was presented to the prosecutor."

"New evidence? What new evidence?"

"I'm not sure. I don't exactly pay too much attention to lawyers when they speak. But they are considering re-opening the case, which means Rachel might soon be re-questioned about her role in that evening."

"My role is the same role that I told you the first time around," Rachel said.

"Are you sure about that?" Officer Simmons asked. "Because the prosecutor believes she has a pretty good reason to have you arrested once more."

"You can't be serious!"

"Charged with what, Officer Simmons?" Leroy asked.

"Assault."

Rachel stiffened. "I didn't do anything wrong that night," she said.

"You told everyone Mr. Issacs was the one who approached you that night."

"He was!"

"Then why do we have a witness who says that you initiated the conversation with him?"

"I- what? No! That's not true!"

Officer Simmons shrugged and put back on his hat. "Well, that's for a judge to decide. You folks have a nice night. And Sue, if I were you, I wouldn't be getting too involved in this. I'd hate for you to lose that comfy little job of yours over at the school because of your connections."

"You know damn well my connections go beyond yours," Sue said sharply.

"So you say, but I'm sure we'll come up with something. You know us Lima cops," he said coolly. "Always coming up with a story that fits their narrative. Or whatever it is, you said."

Sue took a step forward, but Emma grabbed hold of her and kept her in place. Officer Simmons gave them a fake smile and tipped his hat.

"Enjoy your evening."

Leroy waited just long enough before he slammed the door and Rachel was too busy internalizing her panic to see her Dad watching her.

"Rae, I have to ask-

"Dad, I told you the truth," she said. "Edward came up to me that night. He provoked me, and I reacted badly. I admitted that already. I did not go there to fight him nor did I start the conversation. It was all him!"

"Okay, okay, I believe you. Now, we need to-

Another knock on the door caused the group to jump, and Leroy swung open the door hell-bent on telling whoever it was to fuck off, and Rachel would have gladly let him, had it not been Santana and Quinn standing on the other side looking guilty. Rachel took one look at them and groaned.

"How long have you guys been here?" she asked.

Santana folded her arms and looked away while Quinn said, "Um, long enough."

"Just fucking great," Rachel huffed, throwing her hands in the air. "I've been here for three days! And why does he hate me so much? I don't even know him! He wasn't even there that night and has this vendetta against me for fucking nothing!"

There was silence as no one knew how to respond to that, and Leroy ushered in the girls so they wouldn't be standing out in the cold. Rachel was about to ask why they were even in her neighborhood when Emma coughed loudly, her eyes glancing between Sue and Quinn.

"That has nothing to do with anything," Quinn said.

"You still need to tell them," Emma said.

"Tell us what?" Leroy asked.

Quinn looked down at the floor as she said, "Officer Simmons, is, um, my Uncle."

"Come again?" Rachel said.

"John is my Uncle, my Mom's brother," Quinn repeated.

"Your Uncle is Sue's ex-husband?" Leroy asked.

"Yes."

"Does he know anything about Rachel? Or an Edward Issacs?"

"Issacs? That was his partner when he started the force. I remember my Mom saying that Issacs got kicked off the force because of his behavior."

"Why didn't you mention that?" Leroy asked Sue.

"John and I didn't have the type of marriage where we sat around and talked about our day," Sue said. "Or our past. We mostly argued, drank, and- well, you know."

"So the guy Rachel beat up a year ago was your ex-husband, her Uncle's, former partner on the force and three days after Rachel returns to Lima, there's suddenly new evidence in a case that was closed? Come on, what are the odds of that?" Tori pointed out.

Rachel blinked, and it bubbled from her chest before she could help it. She bent over at the waist and began to laugh so hard that tears pricked the corners of her eyes. She laughed and laughed until the laughter turned hysterical and she couldn't breathe. Arms gripped her waist and led her down to the floor where her laughs became cries, and she didn't even care who it was behind her. All she could do was cry and wonder how the hell her life had become so twisted.

* * *

Santana waited with Quinn and the others while Leroy carried Rachel upstairs to her room. Santana had scratch marks on her arms from when Rachel's breakdown became violent, and thankfully, she'd dealt with her Mother's outbursts long enough to know what not to do. She glanced to the side at Quinn, her girlfriend lost in thought and playing with the cross around her neck, and Santana hesitated to show any type of affection when she was like that. Especially since she didn't know whether Quinn was still upset or not.

"I have questions," Tori said, breaking the silence. "And I think now is the time for everything to be put out into the open. Rachel can learn them on her own, but I'm impatient, and I want to know what the hell is going on in this fucked up town."

"Just ask," Sue sighed. "And I hope we can answer them the way you desire."

"First, what happened between you two?" Tori asked, looking directly at Santana and Quinn.

"What do you mean?" Quinn said.

"You know exactly what I mean. You two have been dancing around a subject the entire day, and I think it's time you came clean about how you two played a part in that disaster of a club falling apart. And what it has to do with Rachel. The idiots from earlier seem to think you two play a much bigger role in her not coming back."

Santana got up from the couch and paced the room slowly, hands on her hips, and she hoped Quinn would start first so she wouldn't have to.

"Alright, look," Quinn started. "Everything was going great, at least we thought it was. A week into school, the Glee Club decided to take a weekend trip to Lake Marston Friday night to Sunday morning. We all hung out, sung a couple of songs, and we were happy together. It was like we had finally made peace with Rachel leaving, but something changed. I'm not sure what, but one day we're at the lake having the time of our lives and the next, Sam and Finn are throwing punches over the campfire. Kurt and Brittany were arguing non-stop, and everyone else was just as confused as San and I. Anyway, that Wednesday after the trip, Santana and I were both looking for our respective partners. At this time, she was still dating Brittany, and I was trying to date Finn again. We were going down the hall near the gym when we passed a broom closet. We heard weird sounds coming out of there, and we knew it was probably some kids getting a quickie in after school. We were hoping to embarrass them, but…" Quinn trailed off.

"But what?" LJ pushed.

"We found Brittany bent over with Mr. Finn-capable pounding into her whispering that stupid mantra of his over and over again," Santana finished. She turned back around and scoffed. "They didn't even know we were there until I grabbed the nearest broomstick and jammed it up Finn's bare ass. Everything after that is pretty self-explanatory. Brittany and I broke up, I quit the Glee Club with Quinn, and I made Finn's life a living hell after that."

"Because he stole your girlfriend?" Tori guessed.

"No, because he broke Quinn's heart. I knew Brittany and I weren't going to last, but that damn idiot made Quinn feel like he had really changed. When we saw that, it didn't just break me, it broke her too, and I refused to let some incompetent asshole get away with hurting my best friend."

"And you two just comforted each other and fell in love?" LJ asked.

"That isn't exactly how it happened," Quinn muttered. "We got drunk one night and confessed some things to each other at a Halloween party. After that, it wasn't until May did we even talk to each other again. We fell into this relationship, honestly."

"So, what does Rachel have to do with any of that?" Sue asked.

Santana ran a hand through her hair and chuckled. "That's the question of the hour, isn't it?" she said.

"It's complicated," Quinn said. "And we don't feel comfortable bringing her in to any of this until we understand it ourselves."

"Try us," LJ challenged.


	9. Chapter 9

"We aren't trying to be difficult," Quinn said.

"We barely understand it ourselves," Santana added.

"Then tell us the rough draft version," Tori said. "And we'll go from there."

"Why do you care so much?"

"Because it affects my sister, and when it affects her, it affects LJ and I as well as our father. Considering you were two of the main people who used to cause her to call us crying every weekend, it matters. I'm not going to let you get near her if you're only going to hurt her."

"Plus, how do we know you're not trying to get close to her again so you can embarrass her later on down the line?" LJ asked.

Santana put her hands on her hips and lifted her head to the ceiling. Quinn slid her arms around Santana's waist and kissed her cheek.

"You know they're right," she whispered.

"I know. It's just I was hoping to have this conversation after we could have it by ourselves."

"I tried talking to you about it, and you ran off, remember?" Quinn said.

"You ambushed me while I was in the shower."

"We don't care about the specifics," LJ interrupted. "All we want is the truth."

"Fine. I have feelings for Rachel," Santana said. "I have since freshman year."

"And I have feelings for Rachel," Quinn said. "I have since sophomore year."

"We knew this already," Tori said.

"They didn't," Santana said, pointing at Emma and Sue.

"Actually, we did," Sue said.

Emma nodded in agreement.

"You did?" Quinn exclaimed. "How?"

"I'm paid to notice things like that. Santana's behavior towards Rachel was similar to that of a bully in primary school. Pulling pigtails and name-calling because she was incapable of understanding her feelings. Quinn, during sophomore year, was the same way. It became clear that they both had feelings for her and each other," Emma said.

"It's also obvious because for the entire day, after the misstep from the morning, you two have been latched onto her the entire day. You never let her out of your sight. You stood up for her, protected her, and made her feel safe even after the bullshit you guys pulled on her before she left. And you're here, at her house, at nine o'clock at night after you had an argument about her," LJ said.

"But-

"Accept the fact that people picked up on it," Sue said. "I recognized it long before Rachel left that your obsession with her went deeper than hate. The way you two watched her was borderline creepy, and a little more than someone in my position should have witnessed. I overheard you complaining about her clothes and the way she dressed and the short skirts. I was about to hit you both over the head with a dose of reality, but Rachel left, and you two started hanging out more."

Santana and Quinn were both shocked and completely caught off guard, but the knife twisted in deeper when Leroy, who had been hiding on the stairs, made himself known.

"I think you two need to go upstairs," he said. "And I think the rest of us should go and finish this nice dinner I made."

"They still haven't told us why there were arguing about her," Tori said.

"That is none of our business."

"Isn't it though?"

Leroy ignored Tori and looked at Santana and Quinn. He folded his arms and leaned against the wall. "One, I left the door open so she wouldn't feel closed in. She heard everything. Two, she is waiting for you, and she isn't the type to wait long," he said.

Quinn turned white, and Santana's hunched over on her knees. Quinn absentmindedly rubbed her back while Leroy laughed.

"Payback is a bitch, isn't it girls?" he teased.

"Y-wait, you were joking?" Quinn screeched.

"Oh, no, she really did hear every word, but I'm sure I'll get a strongly worded text message for my delivery," he said matter-of-factly.

There were simultaneous groans, and Leroy turned to face the others.

"Come on, let's go finish this dinner while those two find the strength to climb the stairs."

"Fine," Tori said. "I'm not happy about this."

"You'll get over it," Leroy deadpanned.

"We're going to leave them alone with her?" LJ fake whispered. "What if they do something inappropriate?"

"Rachel isn't ready for that, and neither are they. They have much to discuss, or they will once they GO UPSTAIRS!"

Leroy's shout roused them out of their stupor and Santana protested loudly as Quinn dragged her up the stairs.

* * *

Once they were gone, Leroy grinned in triumph. He got an elbow to the stomach by Sue and Emma had the 'momma is mad at you' look on her face that he was quite accustomed too.

"She didn't hear a word they said, did she?" Emma huffed.

"No, the door was closed, but I did. Funny how I forgot to mention that Rachel is in love with them too and is freaking out upstairs because she thinks they think she's a psychopath."

"She is," LJ muttered under his breath.

"You know this could blow up in your face, right?" Sue asked, ignoring LJ.

"I know, but it could also go right, and Rachel will finally have that last piece of her life fall into place."

"What do you mean?"

Leroy jerked his head towards the kitchen. The group sat down at the table and he sighed before he confessed, "The night before we took Rachel to the airport, Hiram was at work, and she broke down while sitting in her bedroom. I had no idea what to do. I'd seen her cry, sure, but she seemed utterly broken. I remember her crying about how her life was falling apart, how she hated school and how the girls she had a crush on treated her like shit."

"You didn't have a problem with her liking two girls at once?" Emma asked.

"I've always been an advocate for people loving who they want, and loving how they want. There are limits, of course, but polyamory is one of those things I can't find a fault with, as long as she's safe and happy. But that night, she also confessed she was tired of being Rachel Berry. She wanted to run away and never come back. Naturally, that's when I jumped into action and I held her the entire time until she fell asleep."

"It sounds like our resident, former Diva was crushing hard on our resident bitches and vice versa," Sue said.

"And now you've sent the bitches up there with the Diva to try and work out whatever it is brewing between them in hopes that it would help Rachel when it could easily go wrong and we can ruin the relationship before it even begins?" Tori asked.

Leroy blinked at his eldest and said, "When you put it like that-

"Ignore the pessimist," LJ grunted. "She's the last person you ask for advice on things like that. She stabbed her last boyfriend with a fork."

"Consent, LJ. Consent," Tori said. "He didn't ask to hug me."

"Honestly, it's not a surprise you're still single."

"Says the guy who slut-shamed his boyfriend after he sent dick pics to your ex-best friend."

"He was cheating on me," LJ said defensively.

"And how does that make what you did okay?"

"Children," Leroy said dryly.

"He started it."

"She started it."

"Enough," Leroy sighed.

"It's amazing," Sue mused.

"What is?" Leroy, LJ, and Tori asked at once.

"How different you two are from Rachel."

Leroy snorted and took a sip of his wine. "As Hiram loves to remind me, Hiram comes from a different cloth. These two idiots come from something else, and they act like it."

"Ouch, Dad," Tori said. "LJ is your son; you shouldn't insult him so openly in front of his face. You should do it behind his back like Mom does."

"I'm not the one who gives her headaches every time she opens her mouth!"

"No, but you give everyone else headaches every time you open your mouth."

Leroy gestured at the two while keeping eye contact with Sue and Emma, "See? They're loud, rude, and quite possibly the most terrifyingly brilliant children I know. Rachel is smart as well, but she's quiet and she's witty. These two are like blunt force, Rachel's like a paper cut to the carotid artery. She scares me more than these two."

"I take it Hiram had something to do with that? Because you're more like blunt force rather than a paper cut," Emma said.

"You can say that. Hiram was the cause, not the source. Like when she lived in Seattle, she sent letter and emails. With me, she was more open and we started to connect on a deeper level. With Hiram, I noticed her letters were short and to the point."

"Just like their relationship," LJ snorted.

"More like he and Dad's," Tori said.

"Tori," Leroy warned.

"Sorry," she sighed.

"My point is," Leroy continued, "that Rachel might not act like these two, but she is like them more than she shows. It adds credence to the argument of nature versus nurture. Her nature is stuffy, conservative, and vengeful while nurture clearly points to her being free, open, and in tune with who she is as a person."

"I've never heard you talk about her like this before," Emma said softly.

"Once you lose something, you never appreciate it until it's not there anymore. Even if it was only temporary," he sighed, playing with the rim of his glass. "Rachel's absence brought a lot of things to light that I wasn't prepared to accept, and now that she's back, she's inadvertently helping me find my way in life."

"You're fifty, shouldn't you already be there?" Tori asked.

Leroy blinked and flicked his daughter on the ear. "I am not fifty, and it's never too late to start over," he said.

"It is when you're dead," LJ quipped.

"Or worse, living in Lima, Ohio at the ripe age of forty-three with only your children and a couple of lesbians to keep you company," Tori said.

"Are you certified?" Sue asked.

"You're the second person to ask her that today," LJ said.

"Was it Santana?"

"Yeah, how'd you know?"

Sue snickered. "Because Santana is certified, and she recognizes people like her," she said.

"I still don't know what that means."

"For fuck's sake, LJ. Santana and I are both insane," Tori said.

"Oh. Duh."

"Now it's duh? You're such a fucking idiot."

Leroy rolled his eyes as his children started arguing. Part of him was worried about what was happening upstairs, but he trusted his daughter, and in some weird way, trusted Quinn and Santana. Their arguments about telling Rachel early struck a chord with him. They were worried about her and concerned about her feelings. That little bit of information was enough for him to hope that they worked things out.

* * *

Quinn and Santana stood outside of Rachel's closed door, simultaneously annoyed Leroy played a joke on them and also nervous because they were kind of prepared to tell Rachel the truth. Her behavior throughout the day, the flirting and the teasing meant that she was either into the idea of being with them or playing a game. Both options made their stomachs flip for different reasons. Santana looked at Quinn, and the blonde kissed Santana on the cheek before she smiled.

"It'll be okay," she whispered.

"What if she doesn't want us?" Santana whispered back.

"Then we will love her from a distance. We can't force it."

Santana sighed and nodded, grabbing the doorknob and pushing the door open.

* * *

Rachel had stripped out of her shirt and pants, walking around in a tank top and some underwear. She couldn't remember where she'd put her pajamas from the night before and was bent over at the waist while she dug through her still unpacked suitcases when her door opened.

"Hey, Dad, do you have some shorts I can borrow? I can't find my pajamas and..."

Rachel trailed off as she turned around. Her face drained of color, seeing who was standing in her room. Santana pocketed her phone while Quinn was covering her smile with her hand. A weird squeal-squeak combination left her throat and Rachel scrambled to wrap her cover around the bottom half of her body.

"Never took you for a Slytherin. A Ravenclaw, but not a Slytherin," Santana said.

"Says the Hufflepuff," Quinn said.

"You promised you wouldn't mention that to anyone," Santana whined.

"I- you- what are you doing in here?" Rachel hissed.

"Your Dad told us you were waiting for us up here, but we've recently discovered he was playing a really, really good joke on us," Quinn said.

"I can't lie. I kind of love this joke. What about you, Quinn?"

"Oh, I definitely love this joke."

"Why. Are. You. In. My. Room?" Rachel gritted out. "And delete that picture, Santana."

"What picture?"

"The one you took of me!"

"What makes you think I took a picture of you?"

"I saw you with your phone!"

"Oooh, no, that was a video. For, ya know, reasons."

"That better not end up online somewhere, or I swear to-

"Chill out, Rachel," Santana interrupted. "I'm kidding. I didn't take a picture or a video. I was letting my Dad know I wasn't home."

Rachel nodded shortly, still not quite believing her, and Santana pulled her phone out of her pocket. She unlocked it, crossed the room, and handed it to Rachel.

"Go on, look. I have no folders, no hidden albums, and all you see is all there is. Though I would be careful scrolling too far back. I have some pictures of-

"Whoa," Rachel whispered.

Santana snatched her phone back, continuing as she said, "Of Quinn that you probably didn't want to see."

"Please tell me you didn't save those pictures of me," Quinn said.

"Like you didn't save mine."

Quinn turned red but said nothing. Rachel watched them go back and forth and smiled a little, though her heart ached slightly. She ignored it and cleared her throat.

"Can you two, um, ya know, turn around?"

"Sure, but we don't want you putting on clothes for us. If you want to walk around like that, please do," Santana said as she and Quinn faced the wall.

"Why? So, you two can make fun of me?"

"No, so we can admire you."

Rachel slammed her knee into the bed frame at Santana's response and said, "You're kidding, right?"

Santana sighed and twisted around slightly as she said, "No. I'm not. That's why we came up here."

"To ogle me half-naked?"

"No, tell you why we've been acting so weird around you, and to tell you that we did play a part in the Glee club breaking up."

Rachel slid on a pair of jeans and stared at them. She chewed on her cheek before she sighed and said, "Fine."


	10. Chapter 10

**Sorry, forgot to mention that this story won't include Beth. **

**If there are mistakes, charge it to my head not my heart.**

**-RCV**

* * *

Quinn and Santana got comfortable on the floor while Rachel relaxed on her bed. Quinn knew Santana wouldn't want to start, so she decided to start with the end of the school year, the weekend where things somewhat fell apart while falling into place.

"Do you know what happened between Santana and Brittany?"

"I got the impression there was cheating and something dealing with Finn. I don't really care about why you broke up," Rachel said honestly. "Brittany and I don't have the best relationship."

"Since when?"

Rachel looked down at her cover before she looked at Quinn, "Can you skip to the point, please?" she asked.

The two mentally held onto the fact Rachel dodged the question about Brittany, and Quinn cleared her throat.

"I'll just stick to the basics. Santana and I got drunk at a Halloween party Puck hosted the year you were in Seattle. We were single, angry, and some things were said that we conveniently forgot about."

"I know all about what happens at Puck's Halloween parties," Rachel muttered, glancing at Santana.

"Quinn knows about it," Santana said. "I kind of had to tell her."

"I'm not mad, well, not in the way you think," Quinn said.

Rachel cocked her head. "What way am I thinking?" she asked.

"I can't figure you out," Santana blurted.

"Pardon?"

"One moment you're flirting with us, and the next you're afraid of us. What gives?" Santana asked.

"I can ask you the same thing."

Santana didn't have a response to that.

"Look, after the Halloween party, San and I kind of drifted apart. It wasn't until May did we kind of...come back together. It was the first day out of school. I was worried about Santana and I went to her house to check on her."

_"San? You in here?"_

_Quinn trekked through the empty house. She knew Mr. Lopez would be at work where he always was. She put down the bag of snacks she'd brought over, hoping for a girl's night in like they used to, and sighed when she heard loud music. As she walked up the stairs, she found Santana's room was empty. She looked down the hall and saw a door closed, and the room was one that Quinn knew all too well. She tried the doorknob, but it didn't open. Then she heard breaking glass. Quinn brought her shoulder into the wood, and the door gave. She tumbled inside and found Santana standing in the middle of the room, surrounded by broken glass. There was a picture of a beautiful woman on the wall, untouched, and Santana was facing away from it with her __hands on her hips and eyes closed. Quinn took in the state of the former study turned rage space, and was happy that most of the furniture remained intact._

_"You haven't been in here in a while," Quinn said hesitantly._

_"My father wants to convert it into a gym," Santana said blandly._

_"I see." _

_Santana opened her eyes and turned to Quinn. "Why are you here?" she asked._

_"I wanted to see if you were down for a girl's night in? I know we haven't exactly been talking, but I figured since school was over we could-_

_"Pretend like nothing happened?" Santana finished. _

_"San, I miss you," Quinn confessed. "I miss you and I want to fix us." _

_Santana walked through the glass and came up to Quinn. She ran a hand through her hair and said, __"My Dad won't be home tonight." _

_Quinn smiled. "Okay," she said._

_"And you can probably spend the night," Santana said. "I feel like this isn't a one night type of conversation we need to have." _

_"Probably not." _

_Santana eyed Quinn suspiciously. "You have snacks already, don't you?" she asked._

_"Yes, and I ordered pizza while I was driving. He should be here in like twenty minutes." _

_"He? Since when do you know the pizza boy?"_

_"It's Puck," Quinn murmured. "He got a job to pay off his truck so he could stop asking his Dad for money. He's also the only one who's willing to come to your house, apparently."_

_"Yeah, I know. I got a note from several other delivery drivers, who ironically go to McKinley, who said out of solidarity for their brother, they won't be dropping food off to my house anymore." _

_"Can they do that?"_

_"Ask the Chinese restaurant I ordered from twice and never got my food," Santana deadpanned._

_Quinn rubbed her chest at the weird feeling spreading through her body and said, "I'm sorry, San."_

_"It's fine. I knew there would be consequences for my actions. Speaking of which…" she trailed off and frowned. "I know she called you again."_

_"I didn't answer."_

_"Did she leave a voicemail?"_

_"Why do you care?"_

_"The last voicemail she left was of her masturbating and moaning my name," Santana said wearily. "I was curious if she did the same for you or if you got a different type of greeting."_

_"She- wow. Really?" Quinn made a face. "That's a little-_

_"Weird? Creepy? Depraved?"_

_"All of the above."_

_Santana hummed in agreement. In the seconds of silence that followed, that weird feeling spread through Quinn's chest again as Santana looked her up and down. She felt her face heating up and Santana snapped out of whatever trance she was in._

_"Sorry. I was thinking this is the first time I've seen you out of uniform in months. You look good."_

_"Oh. Thank you."_

_"What did you get from the store?" Santana asked, changing the subject._

_"You mean did I get you Sour Patch Kids?" Quinn guessed._

_Santana folded her arms, looking away for a moment before she said, "If you didn't, that's fine, but if you did, that's fine too."_

_"I got your damn candy, Santana."_

_"Did you get the watermelon kind or the regular kind?"_

_Quinn rolled her eyes and walked out of the room into the hallway. "You're unbelievable," she said._

_"That was a serious question," Santana countered, following her out of the room. "You know I don't like the watermelon kind."  
_

_"Which should tell you I got the regular kind. I know what you like and don't like." _

_"I guess." _

_"Fuck off," Quinn sighed._

_"Whoa, what's with the attitude?"_

_Quinn winced. She couldn't tell Santana that Mr. Schue caught up with her earlier that day and begged her __to convince Santana to come back to the Glee Club while simultaneously excusing Finn and Brittany's behavior. On top of that, Sam tried blackmailing Quinn into doing the same thing and was severely disappointed when all Quinn did was walk away. All of it happened when Santana was either with Sue or in a different part of the school, but still, it was annoying._

_"Earth to Quinn!"_

_She blinked. She was downstairs and standing in the kitchen. Then she noticed Santana's proximity, and the brown eyes boring into hers made her weak in the knees. She played it off by leaning against the island. Those pouted lips curled downward did something to Quinn's insides and she wasn't sure she was ready to have that conversation._

_"Huh?" she stammered, shaking off whatever was happening to her._

_"I asked if you wanted a beer."_

_"What kind?" she asked automatically, knowing Santana drank the worst kind of beer._

_"I have some Modelo in the fridge. I asked my Dad to get some because I know how much you hate my Sapporo."_

_"Still weird your Dad buys alcohol for you."_

_"It's his way of making sure I don't tell people that he abandons me for days at a time," Santana said, shrugging._

_"Oh."_

_Santana grabbed Quinn's hand, tugging her in the direction of the fridge. "Just come on. If we're doing this, then we need to hurry up because I want to watch Cold Case," she said._

_Quinn glanced down at the intertwined fingers and cataloged the way their hands molded together, but she would be lying to herself if she didn't feel as if something was missing. It was like they were half-right, but not wholly right. Sighing, she tightened her grip and willingly let Santana drag her around. _

_They made it halfway through the first episode when Puck dropped off the pizza. He didn't stay long, but he did say he would stop by the next day and hang out. And by the time Quinn was on her fourth beer and sixth slice of pizza, she was stuffed and sprawled out on the floor with Santana lighting a blunt beside her. She didn't know where the weed came from, but she was grateful. _

_"Do you want to know why I'm so mad at Brittany?" Santana suddenly asked._

_Quinn blinked and rolled over on her side, facing the slightly glazed over eyes of her friend and said, "Sure."_

_"Because I told her in advance that it took a lot for me to trust and love someone the way that I loved her, and she threw it back in my face while throwing it back for Finn."_

_"Gross."_

_"What? You were there, you saw it."_

_"Been trying to forget it, honestly," Quinn muttered._

_"Me too, but I can't. I keep seeing it in my head late at night and sometimes during the day. I keep watching him thrust into her over and over again, sometimes I'm just standing there, and I don't do anything. I feel frozen to the spot watching the same thing over and over again."_

_Quinn frowned at the pain in her words and reached over, putting her hand on Santana's shoulder. "Sweetheart, you can't keep doing that to yourself. You'll never move on if you keep thinking about it," she said__._

_"Have you moved on? Plus, w__hat's there for me to move on to? Brittany was supposed to be it for me, my perfect match, or whatever she used to say to me. Now," Santana sighed, "now, I don't know."_

_Quinn sat up and scooted closer, moving the leftover pizza that was between them. She wrapped an arm around Santana's shoulder and said, "She isn't the only lesbian in the world, you know."_

_"Yeah, but she's the only one in Lima, and I don't want to be lonely for the next year and a half. I've been with her since the end of freshman year. We'll be seniors next year and I'll be alone for the first time."_

_"One, you won't be alone. Two, who said she's the only lesbian in Lima?" Quinn asked quietly_

_Santana snorted. "Yeah, right. Who else is there?"_

_Quinn sighed and dropped her arm, wrapping it around her knees. __Santana stared at her profile, questioning without really saying anything, and Quinn told her the truth._

_"I'm gay, Santana. I have been for a while now. I'm just really good at hiding it."_

_Santana frowned."Wait, what about Puck and Finn and-_

_"Puck and I pretended to date so he could up his popularity. I got free food and weed from it, so it was whatever. Finn was a mistake, one I regret every day."_

_"You're not alone in that one," Santana said under her breath. Louder, she said, __"Why didn't you say anything?" _

_"Look, I was going to tell you, but I didn't know how."_

_"Hmm. I get it. I didn't tell you until I absolutely had too, so no biggie," Santana cut in, waving her off. "I'm just shocked that little Miss holier-than-thou is actually down for a little bump and grind of the feminine kind."_

_Quinn blinked and said, "Where the hell do you come up with this stuff?"_

_Santana shrugged. "It's a gift."_

_Quinn was about to call her out on her bullshit when Santana lunged forward and kissed her square on the lips. It was short, soft, and over before Quinn could catch her footing._

_"I- what- why?" she sputtered._

_"I just wanted to make sure you weren't trying to make me feel better or anything."_

_"You- wait, you thought I was lying to you!" Quinn shouted. "Seriously!"_

_"That's a fair concern for me."_

_"I don't love you that much," Quinn huffed, getting off the floor. She wavered for a bit before she stumbled into the kitchen for a bottle of water. "I swear if you weren't hot, I'd punch you dead in your face right now."_

_Santana came up behind her and stopped, a weird look on her face. She cocked her head and said, "Did you just call me hot?"_

_Quinn choked on the water she'd just opened and held up her finger, clearing her airways so that she could breathe. "I, uh, no," she lied._

_"You so did."_

_"Okay, fine, I did. So what?"_

_"I dunno. I've always been called hot, but when you say it, it feels different."_

_"How?"_

_"Probably because it's you and you don't say things you don't mean. Not including the obvious from earlier." _

_"I don't know what that means," Quinn said._

_Santana reached out, pulling Quinn close by the hem of her shirt. There was a brief pause by both of them, each one testing to see who would back down first, but neither one did. Quinn put down her water bottle and swallowed the nerves roaring in her throat. Their lips met like before, soft and sweet, then it became rough and bruising, each one trying to gain dominance over the other. They tripped and stumbled their way back into the living room. They fell back on the couch and Cold Case became background noise to soft moans and whispered please._

_The next morning, they wouldn't say anything to each other. Quinn would leave and Santana would watch her go. They cried themselves to sleep without the other.__ They felt warm lips tracing over their bodies with thoughts of the other. They stood under the spray of the shower water with nimble fingers hoping to relieve the growing tension between their thighs._

_But it wouldn't work._

_They would miss each other for weeks, and it wouldn't be until a Fourth of July party for them to recognize that whatever happened with them that night nearly two months ago wasn't going to go away._

* * *

Quinn finished telling their story. She belatedly realized Santana was beside her, swiping away at the tears streaming down her face, but she smiled at a clearly upset Rachel.

"It sounded way worse than what it was, but that's really the summary of what happened between us," she said.

Rachel shook her head and cleared her throat, playing with the edge of her cover. "But…what does that have to do with the Glee club or me?" she asked softly.

"What Quinn neglected to expound on was that she and I may have been in a relationship, but we both were hiding a very dangerous secret from one another that could have blown up in our faces had we not talked it out."

"Dangerous?" Rachel repeated.

"She's making it sound much more ominous than it needs to be," Quinn grumbled. "It wasn't dangerous, just extremely sensitive."

"The same thing," Santana said breezily.

"Does this secret have to remain a secret, or are you going to tell me?" Rachel said, a little annoyed.

"Ah, right. That is why we came up here, isn't it?" Santana sighed. "There is no easy way to say this, though," she added right after.

"It's harder than any cheer routine we've done."

"Harder than any exercise Coach put us through."

"Harder than any family bible study I've had to sit through."

"Will you just tell me?" Rachel exclaimed, exasperated with their stalling.

Santana looked at Quinn, who shrugged and gestured towards Rachel, and Santana snorted at the action.

"You would make me confess it. Again."

"You're so good at it."

"How in the world am I supposed to just blurt out, again, that I'm in love with Rachel?" Santana asked, pretending not to hear the shocked gasp that left Rachel's lips.

"How do you expect me to admit the same thing?" Quinn huffed, her lips curling a little at the ploy pulled off by Santana.

The two pretended to be caught off guard when Rachel's voice strayed into the high-pitched territory as she screeched, "Are you fucking kidding me?"


	11. Chapter 11

Leroy stood frozen in the kitchen with Sue and Emma as Hiram stormed into the house. He glanced at the clock, wondering why Hiram was home so early and sighed to himself. When Hiram threw his stuff down on the couch and came stomping into the kitchen, tie already halfway undone, Leroy swallowed whatever was left of his cheesecake, though it felt more like a mouthful of lead as it traveled down his throat. There was a mutual, unspoken agreement between Sue and Emma that caused them to move as one, both placing their desserts on the island.

"It's time for Emma and I to take our leave," Sue said to Leroy.

"I think that's a wonderful idea," Hiram said. "I'll walk you out."

"Oh, well, t-thank you?" Emma stammered, not sure how to respond.

"Trust me, the pleasure is mine."

As Hiram led Sue and Emma out to their car, Leroy made his way upstairs. LJ and Tori were out, having run to the grocery store to get more ice cream, but he guessed they wouldn't need it anymore. Coming to a stop outside of Rachel's room, Leroy steeled himself and knocked on the door, hoping he wasn't going to put too much of a damper on his daughter's evening.

* * *

The knock at the door paused whatever conversation they were getting ready to have, and Rachel frowned as she opened it.

"Dad?"

"Your father is home," he said quietly. "And I imagine he won't take too kindly to you having guests in your bedroom this late."

Though Leroy was speaking softly, Santana heard every word, and she shared a look with Quinn when Rachel's face blanked and she nodded.

"Of course," she said with no emotion.

"I'm sorry, Rae."

"It's alright."

Santana could see whatever was happening was the opposite of alright, but she kept her mouth closed when Rachel sat down on the edge of the bed with a forced smile.

"As fun as this has been, you guys should probably go," she said quietly.

Quinn squeezed Santana's arm to keep her from responding. "We understand. We'll see ourselves out," she said.

"Thanks."

"We'll see you tomorrow, I guess," Santana said reluctantly. There were a million questions on the tip of her tongue, but she swallowed them down when she heard heavy footsteps coming up the stairs.

Leroy and Rachel both avoided showing any emotion when Hiram came into the room. His eyes narrowed on Santana and Quinn.

"Why are you two in my daughter's room?"

"We were here for dinner, Mr. Berry," Quinn said quickly. "My name is Q-

"I know who you are," he interrupted hotly. "You two are the ones who used to torture my daughter her freshman year."

"Mr. Berry, that was a long time ago. We've changed," Quinn responded.

"People like you don't change. Once a bully, always a bully," he scowled. He took a threatening step forward, one that didn't go unnoticed by Rachel, and he added, "I want you two out, and if I see you two around here again, I'm calling the cops and having you arrested for trespassing and harassment."

The spoken warning caused Leroy to speak up, and he said, "Hiram, they were only here to-

"I don't care why they were here. You shouldn't have let them in this house in the first place! I don't want MY daughter's former bullies in MY home!"

Leroy flinched but said nothing. Santana saw Quinn's eyes glaze over, and she knew there were too many parallels in the Berry household that mimicked the Fabray home. She placed her hand on Quinn's back and rubbed small circles

"I understand. We're going to go ahead and get out of here," Santana said. "Thank you for dinner, Mr. Berry."

Leroy nodded and cleared his throat, "Of course, let me walk you two out, okay? It's dark and I don't know what's out there."

"Nothing different from what's in here," she replied.

The jibe went over Hiram's head, but not Rachel's. The quirk of her lips was the only thing Santana needed to see before she led Quinn out of the room. It took more willpower than she had not to react to the look on Rachel's face as they left, and even more not to respond to the defeated look on Leroy's face as he walked with them. When they got to the bottom of the stairs, Tori and LJ were sitting on the couch with a bowl of ice cream between them. Quinn snapped out of whatever mood she was in and squeezed Santana's waist to tell her she was fine.

"We would offer you some ice cream, but we get the impression the party's over," LJ said.

"It got shut down before it even got started," Santana muttered.

"Look," Tori paused when a door slammed upstairs, "look, tomorrow you're going to have to give Rachel a chance to reset. We've learned in the short amount of time we've been here that her interactions with Hiram leave her a little-

"Cold," LJ finished bluntly. "I would advise you not to take anything she says or does tomorrow seriously."

"We won't. Plus, we're not done with her," Santana said seriously. "We barely touched the surface of what we wanted to talk about up there."

"We're just giving you a heads-up," Tori said, shrugging. "That temper of hers wasn't a one-time fluke. Rachel has a mean streak buried beneath all the mellow, free-spirited bullshit she spouts."

"What do you mean?" Quinn asked warily.

"Hopefully one day you won't experience it," LJ said.

"That doesn't make me feel any better."

"We're not trying to make you feel better," Tori said. "We're trying to tell you that if you're serious about our sister, then you have to put up with the good, the bad, and the crazy. Sometimes the lines get blurred, and she's a little bit of all three."

"So, Santana, basically," Quinn said.

"Rude, much," Santana scoffed. "I'm not that crazy."

"What was that thing you said this morning about pots and black kettles?" LJ teased.

"Oh shut up."

"Girls, I really should walk you out," Leroy interrupted. "Please."

"Right, sorry. Goodnight," Quinn said to LJ and Tori.

"Night."

"See you in hell, Santana," Tori quipped.

Santana flipped Tori off without missing a stride.

* * *

The next morning, Kurt caught up with Rachel as she walked in, alone, and forced himself not to grin like a loon at the luck of getting her alone.

"What do you want, Kurt?" Rachel sighed, not bothering to look at him as she said it.

"To apologize for yesterday. I was out of line. I shouldn't have said any of that about Santana."

"No, you shouldn't have. Is that all?"

"Um, no. I was also here to talk to you. I realize yesterday I also neglected to check in on you now that you're back," Kurt said smoothly.

"Before or after you ambushed me with a song and questions about why I won't come back to the Glee Club," she said dryly.

Kurt laughed nervously and stopped beside her once they got to her locker. "Again, sorry," he said. "So how are you? What's it like being back?"

"The same," she deadpanned.

"Pardon?"

"It's exactly the same. Same streets, same stores, same parks, and the same annoying classmates I thought would grow up at some point," she drawled, glancing meaningfully at Kurt. "You're not fooling me, Kurt. I will ask this you once. What do you want?"

"What makes you think I want anything from you?" he asked.

"Because you have that glint in your eye that lets me know I'm either going to punch you after you finish speaking or feed you to Puck for lunch."

Kurt blinked and said, "That was oddly specific."

"Kurt," she hissed. "What. Do. You. Want?"

He stepped back at the venom in her voice and said, "I was genuinely only over here to say hi."

"If that were true, then Finn and Brittany wouldn't be so interested in this conversation, and Mercedes wouldn't be trying to ease her way over here to eavesdrop," Rachel snapped.

Kurt frowned and started to respond, but Rachel walked off before he could say anything. He watched her go, noting that she walked right past Santana and Quinn, waved at Puck, and walked off with her siblings.

"What the hell was that all about?" Mercedes asked, coming up beside him.

"I don't know, but did you see that? She ignored Santana and Quinn like they didn't even exist," he said.

"Yeah, so?"

"So?" he repeated. "So, we may have our in. If she's ignoring them, then they did something wrong, and if we play our hand right, we can step in and manipulate this in our favor. Go tell Mike to sit by Rachel in class. If there's anyone who can get Rachel to talk, it's him."

"Mike? Really?"

"You know what they say about the silent ones, Cedes. Never underestimate them."

"No one says that but you."

Kurt ignored Mercedes and stared at Rachel as she continued down the hall. He noticed Santana and Quinn look his way, and he gave them a finger wave, grinning at the annoyed frowns on their faces.

"Why do you antagonize them?" Mercedes muttered.

"Because they don't scare me anymore. I've seen things way scarier than them."

Mercedes scoffed and said something under her breath, but once again, Kurt ignored her. He had no intentions of going back and forth with Mercedes over it. He was too busy working out a plan to get into Rachel's good graces.

* * *

Quinn came into the classroom and found Mike sitting in the spot next to Rachel, and the two were laughing and having what seemed to be an animated conversation. She frowned and saw LJ seated at an empty table with a seat next to him, an expectant look on his face as they made eye contact. She walked through the room and tried not to stare at the hand on Rachel's lower back as Mike leaned in close. Unfortunately, in her trying not to stare, she ran right into the edge of the desk and hissed as the corner made contact with her hip.

"Dammit," she cursed, hunching over at the pain.

She limped her way to her chair and ignored the glances of her classmates. She laid her head on the table and pressed into her hip.

"Are you okay?" LJ asked.

"Yup! Not the worst injury I've suffered, but it still hurts like a bitch," she grumbled, lifting her head.

"Want me to run to the nurse's office and grab you some ice?" he asked.

"No, I promise it's not that big of a deal," she quickly said. "Plus, the nurse won't let you get ice unless she sees the injury and I don't want the drama."

LJ gave her a look and said warily, "If you're sure…"

"I am."

LJ nodded and that's when she noticed the entire class was still staring at her. She scowled and flipped them off before slamming her books down on the table.

"You ran into the desk looking at Rachel's new seatmate?"

"No," she lied.

"Really?"

"Why the fuck is he touching her like that?" Quinn blurted.

"Stop staring before Rachel gives you something to stare at," he instructed.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"If she knows she's getting a reaction out of you, she'll give you something to react over. It's simple."

"To who?"

"Obviously not you because you're still staring," LJ deadpanned.

Quinn huffed and tore her eyes away from the duo. She looked up when Santana walked into the room and groaned, completely forgetting it was the one class they all had together.

"Oh boy," she sighed. "This is going to go south really quickly."

"For who? Mike or Rachel?"

Quinn didn't get a chance to answer before Santana weaved her way through the tables and came to a stop in front of Mike. She bent over, whispered something in Mike's ear, and the dancer quickly stood up and practically ran to the furthest seat away from Rachel. Santana plopped down in the chair next to Rachel and said something to the tiny brunette.

"Rachel looks amused," Quinn pointed out.

"Probably because she's about to embarrass Santana," LJ said distractedly, flipping through his notebook.

"Huh?"

LJ merely gestured in that general direction, and Quinn's eyes widened when Rachel put her hand on Santana's hip. She leaned over, pretty much copying what Santana did to Mike, but when she finished, Santana was trembling in her seat. The Latina stood up, brushed down the skirt she had on, and picked up her things.

"Scoot over, LJ," Quinn sighed.

"You scoot over," he responded.

Quinn grunted. She moved her chair to the side, absentmindedly rubbing at her hip as Santana pulled a chair beside Quinn. Her face was red and she was white-knuckling her books. She saw Quinn rubbing her hip and frowned. "What happened to you?" she asked hoarsely.

"Ran into the desk glaring at Mike and Rachel," she murmured. "You?"

Santana said nothing. She just dropped her head to the table, Quinn automatically going to rub her back while LJ snickered.

"You guys are so screwed," he whispered.


	12. Chapter 12

**This rewrite is actually pretty fun.**

**-RCV**

* * *

"Lopez and Fabray, Coach Sylvester wants to see you both. Now."

Santana and Quinn stood up from their chairs, equally confused as to why they were being summoned out of math class, but neither complained about missing out on a pop quiz. They held hands as they left the room and continued to hold hands even as they walked into the office. Sue had a weird look on her face and told them to close and lock the door behind them.

"Fabray, why are you limping?"

"I ran into a desk."

"Do I want to know how or why that happened?"

"I'm not sure, Coach," Quinn said.

"Just sit down," she ordered tiredly.

"What's wrong, Coach?" Santana asked. "Did we do something wrong?"

"Not Quinn. You."

"Me?"

"I know you didn't do this, but Figgins is under the impression you did. Kurt showed up in the nurse's office last period with a busted lip. He said that you punched him in the face," Sue said to Santana.

"He what?!"

"Listen, there are no cameras and no witnesses other than Mercedes, and we both know the two of them are as thick as thieves. Figgins believes Kurt and is drawing up suspension papers for you. I asked him to let me be the one to deliver the news. He said I could give you a heads up, but that he would be calling you into the office at lunch to tell you what will happen for this week."

It took a moment for the news to settle, but once it did, Sue winced as Santana shot up from her seat and exploded, "WHAT!"

Sue held up a hand and continued, "I know, I know, but there's nothing I can do. You have a reputation here, Santana. We both know that the idea of you punching Kurt isn't far-fetched, regardless of whether you did it or not."

"She's been with me all day!" Quinn exclaimed.

"And that would fly with me and maybe a competent principal, but we both know he will see this as you two ganging up on him."

"This is so fucking stupid," Santana said. "You can't possibly be okay with this, Coach."

"No one said I'm okay with this," Sue corrected wearily. "But I don't have a choice. My hands are tied on this. There is literally nothing but he say - she say, and his word holds more weight. Unfortunately."

Santana sat back down in her chair. "I can't be suspended. My Dad will kill me."

"I'm so sorry, Santana," Sue said. "I will try my best to keep this from spreading, but-

"I know, Coach," Santana said.

"Why did you call me in here?" Quinn asked, her hand on Santana's shoulder.

"Because I knew she would want you in here."

Santana had tears in her eyes. "I've never been suspended. Detention, sure, but this? Fuck man. I'm never going to hear the end of this. And this is going to mess up my chances for a fucking scholarship!"

"No, I will not let that happen. You know I have friends at schools with great programs for you," Sue said.

"I wanted to do it on my own, not depend on someone else. Mami-" Santana paused and swallowed, "Mami would've wanted me to do it on my own."

Sue had nothing to say to that. Santana leaned to the side and cried into Quinn's chest. Sue rubbed her temples. She had no idea what Kurt and the Idiot Brigade was up to, but she knew it was something serious if they were resorting to lying and violence.

"Look," Sue sighed. "Just wait this out, okay? Don't talk to anyone on your way back to class. Avoid Kurt for as long as possible. Don't let anyone know this is happening. If I can work this out, it'll be this week and there won't be any police involvement."

Santana sat up and wiped at her face. "This is so fucking stupid!"

Quinn reached up, cupping her cheeks, and whispered, "Enough, San."

Santana flopped back down in the seat. She bounced her leg and chewed hard on her bottom lip. There was so much she wanted to say, but she knew there was nothing Sue could do.

* * *

At lunch, Rachel wondered where Santana and Quinn disappeared off to. She hadn't seen them since that morning. Puck had no idea, and LJ and Tori said they saw Santana packing a bag during the break, but nothing else. She walked down the hallway and stopped curiously at the bulletin board. She squinted at the small print of the closest flyer, but her mood soured when she saw Mercedes coming up beside her.

"Did you hear about what happened to Kurt?"

Rachel asked warily, "What are you talking about?"

"Santana punched him in the face when he tried apologizing to her. Can you believe that?"

"She punched him?" Rachel repeated. "Are you sure about that, Mercedes?"

"Yes, I was there. I saw the whole thing."

"Wow."

Deep down, red flags immediately popped up all over the place. Why would Santana punch Kurt for apologizing? There had to be more than that to the story. She decided not to jump on the bandwagon without knowing the facts. Even if Santana did punch him, she wouldn't turn her back on her. Kurt probably deserved it.

"I'm sorry. I thought you knew. Honestly, it seemed like she had changed. Guess she hasn't changed much after all, least not in the way you probably hoped."

Rachel kept the annoyance off her face as she said, "I don't know what you mean by that."

"Sure. But I really came over here to see if you wanted to get dinner with us tonight?" Mercedes asked.

"Who is us?" Rachel asked.

"Me, Mike, Kurt, Finn, Tina, and Puck. We're meeting up at the Chinese restaurant around eight."

Rachel hesitated. Mercedes did say Puck was going. She screwed up her face.

"Please? At least stay for the egg rolls. After that, if you want to leave, you're free to go."

Rachel tried fighting that smaller part of her that wanted those friendships back, but she failed. She nodded slowly and said, "Sure. I'll be there."

"Great!" Mercedes said excitedly. "See you then!"

Rachel nodded and watched her walk off before she went back to staring at the informational flyer on the new club at McKinley, but she was far too distracted to put any thought into joining. She groaned and shuffled away, her mind moving a million miles per hour.

* * *

"A week? Sue, that's a long time for a punch only one other person saw," Emma said.

"I know that. Hell, I argued that. But Figgins was dead set on the week. Santana won't be able to come back on campus until next Tuesday, ironically missing the pep rally she's supposed to be leading but that's not important."

"Santana has a temper, sure, but she wouldn't hit someone for no reason. Kurt had to do something," Emma said.

"If she even hit him at all," Sue said.

"You think he's lying?"

"Oh absolutely. I think he got someone to punch him in the face and blamed Santana. But why, I have no idea."

"No witnesses other than Mercedes, at a time where Santana could've been out of the class going to the restroom or something. This was planned," Emma said.

"But the question still remains. Why? Why do this to her?" Sue asked.

"I don't know, baby. But we'll keep an eye on Quinn. I have a feeling this is about them both."

* * *

Santana sniffed as she sat on her bed. Her father tore her a new one once he got the call. He even took her car keys. What made it worse was that someone called Russell, and Quinn told her that he called a family meeting that evening. Family meetings only meant one thing. Santana was stuck in an empty house with no ride while Quinn was probably hurt or in trouble. She screamed into her elbow and punched the mattress a few times. Every time she tried calling Quinn, it went to voicemail. She sent texts, emails, and even Skyped her a few times, but nothing. She had no way of contacting her or going to make sure that-

"I'm an idiot," she groaned.

Santana scrambled to her phone and dialed the only other number she could think of, hoping the other person answered.

* * *

Puck yawned, already bored of watching Mike try and feed Tina a dumpling, and glanced at Rachel from the corner of his eye. At first, he was shocked to see her there, but then again, Kurt and Mercedes were some of her first friends, and throwing those friendships away would be a challenge. Kurt was animatedly describing something to half the table, his black eye on full display, and Puck refrained from getting upset all over again. He knew Kurt was lying. He was with Santana and Quinn when the boy said it happened. But he also knew Figgins would discredit him just like he would discredit Quinn. It made him sick. Puck saw Rachel smile, but he could tell it was strained. He was ready to settle in for a long night of boredom when his phone vibrated in his pocket. Digging it out, he hid it from Finn and was glad he did when he saw Santana's name flash across the screen. He bent down after answering, whispering into the receiver.

"Hey, what's up?"

_"Where are you?"_

"At the Chinese restaurant with some of the Glee Club. I'm only here for Rachel."

_"Can you duck out? I haven't heard from Quinn. Someone called Russell about me getting suspended and he called a family meeting. You know what happens at those meetings. But my Dad took my car and I have no way of going over there to check on her." _

Puck cursed and he pushed back from the table. "Shit, yeah, I got you. Don't worry. We'll go check, alright?" he said.

_There was a hiccup on the other end and a sniff. "Please hurry, Puck, I-_

"Yeah, babe, I know," he said. "I got you."

Puck hung up the call and caught Rachel's eye. He cleared his throat and said, "We gotta go."

Rachel gave him a weird look and said slowly, "Okay?"

"Just come on. I'll tell you in the car."

She pushed back from the seat and stood up. Puck dropped a twenty on the table, apologized for their sudden departure, and practically dragged Rachel out of the restaurant.

"What's going on?" Rachel asked once they got to the parking lot.

"That was San. She can't get a hold of Quinn, and she's afraid that she's hurt. There was a family meeting at the Fabray house tonight, and it is a well known fact that family meetings end up with someone getting hurt."

"I see," Rachel finished, her voice colder than he'd ever remembered hearing. "Let's get over there then."


	13. Chapter 13

**I'm telling you all this now. I plan on keeping Judy around. In this story, the girls are going to need more than one mother figure, and I think Judy can be (and will be) redeemed. **

**The next chapter will be a little heavy, I touch on it in this one, but the next chapter will talk about sensitive things. I will add another AN at the beginning of 14 as a reminder, but please keep that in mind. As for this chapter, there are TW for abuse and if that bothers you, I can PM you and give you the outline of the chapter. Don't hesitate to ask.**

**Mistakes are mine.**

**-RCV**

* * *

Quinn crawled towards the cabinets and used the edge of the counter to pull herself into a seated position. Her ribs, arms, and shoulders protested the movement, but she wasn't going to lie out on the floor all night. A bag of ice dropped into her lap, and she looked up at her mother. The woman's red-rimmed eyes did nothing but make Quinn angry.

"If you're here to apologize, save it for when my ribs aren't poking into my lungs. Okay, Judy?"

"I wish you wouldn't call me that."

"Well, I wish I had a Mother who protected me from her psycho husband, but I guess we can't both get what we want."

"He's just upset. You know he loves you."

Quinn scoffed. "He has a funny way of showing it," she said.

"Please, just give him a chance to calm down, and maybe we can talk about it again. He's worried you're going down a bad path with the people around you, and we don't want that for you."

"Give him a chance to calm down? Are you kidding me? He calms down, then what? More lectures? More beatings? Maybe a day or two in the darkroom to 'pray and ask God for forgiveness?' How about all three? Who knows, I even might get a chance to pick this time!"

The doorbell rang, and Judy gave Quinn a pleading look before she went to answer the door. Quinn reluctantly took the ice pack and placed it on her cheek, hoping to catch the swelling before it became too bad. She mentally hoped it was the police or some well-meaning neighbor, but in their community, no one said anything about what went down in the Fabray household. It was taboo to speak of it beyond the realm of head shakes and pitied sighs.

Then again, maybe Quinn would get lucky.

* * *

Judy opened the door, and her face screwed in confusion as she said, "Noah?"

Puck slipped past Judy with Rachel hot on his heels. Rachel stayed at the front door with Judy while Puck searched the living room before he walked into the kitchen. Quinn gave a short wave when she saw him, and Puck sighed. He dropped down in front of her and sighed.

"How bad?" he asked.

"I can breathe," she said flatly.

Puck nodded.

"You know where her room is?"

Quinn's head snapped to the side at the question. Rachel, metal bat in hand, looked murderous. Her eyes were practically black as they bored into Quinn. There was a moment that Quinn was afraid Rachel would snap and do something stupid like hit her mother, but instead, she repeated her question to Puck.

"Yeah, I know where it is. Why?"

"Throw some shit in a bag. She's not staying here tonight."

Puck shrugged in agreement and ran upstairs. Quinn was in too shocked to do anything but watch Rachel place the barrel against the side of Judy's head.

"Give me one reason why I shouldn't knock you silly."

"Please, I didn't do anything."

"That isn't helping your case," Rachel said.

Judy held up her hands. "Look, take her. I won't fight you on it. She's better off with you than here," she said.

"Nice parenting," Rachel scoffed.

"It's true. Please, this is the only way he won't hurt her."

Rachel's hand loosened for a moment as the information processed, and Quinn held her breath.

"I see."

Judy gave her a weird look. "That's it?" she asked.

"That's it."

"You're not afraid of my husband? He's well-loved by the Lima Police Department. With one call, I can have you arrested for breaking and entering and add kidnapping to the list. You won't get a self-defense charge this time."

"I don't give a shit about your husband. If he wants to dance with me in courts, I'll be more than willing to meet him there. He's not the only one with a good relationship with a police department."

"Based on what I heard, I can't say it's too surprising a delinquent like you would have police connections. How you escaped prison is beyond me. You nearly killed that man."

Rachel hummed. "Self. Defense. And for the record, I would tread carefully with what you say as I am the one thing standing between you and a caved skull."

Judy's face paled, and her mouth clamped shut, sending the house into silence. Quinn exhaled after the exchange. She couldn't figure out if she should do or say something in her mother's defense, but all she could come up with was white noise. It was fascinating, the way Rachel repeatedly tightened her hold on the bat, her face screwed up as if she were imagining swinging it hard enough to actually cave in her mother's skull. Quinn knew right then and there that the Rachel Berry from before was long gone. Heavy footsteps bounded down the stairs and Puck came back with two duffel bags in his hands and a book bag on his back. He bypassed the scene and went outside.

"Guess that's our cue to leave," Rachel said wryly.

"I will only give you one night. After that, you're on your own," Judy said shakily.

"No, you see, this is what's going to happen," Rachel started. "Puck and I are going to take Quinn to a safe location, away from you and your husband, and we'll make sure she's nice and healed by the end of the week. If the school asks, Quinn is at home sick. Say anything other than that, I'll tell some friends of mine what goes on in this lovely estate of yours. Do we have an agreement?"

Judy swallowed and opened her mouth to respond, but Rachel cut her off with a low growl.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I don't care if you agree or disagree. I only asked out of respect for your daughter. Regardless of what you say, what I laid out for you is what will happen."

"Why are you doing this?" Judy whispered.

Rachel lowered the bat and said disbelievingly, "Your daughter's right eye is swelling shut. She has her arm wrapped around her ribs, and it looks like her shoulder is hanging from her body. Trust me when I say this is the best choice you have right now."

Puck came back in and picked Quinn off the ground carefully. He sighed and said, "San's going to freak out when she sees you."

"She should be at home, resting," Quinn said weakly.

"You know damn well she won't stay there when she finds out what Russ did to you."

"A girl can dream."

Puck chuckled and carried her into the living room. "Come on, we shouldn't be here when her Dad gets back," he said to Rachel.

"With the rumors I've heard, I think maybe it's him who needs a good head-shot or two," Rachel grunted.

"Get in line," Puck snorted. "There are at least five people ahead of you who want that chance."

"I'll wait."

"Come on, slugger," Puck joked. "I think Judy knows better than to say anything. Right?"

"You know he won't let this go, Noah."

"He knows where I live."

Judy straightened, her face indifferent. "Fine. Take her," she said.

Quinn sighed at the comment and tucked her head into Puck's neck, deciding not to comment on the matter. Rachel took the bat and swung, connecting with the family picture hanging by the door. The sound made Judy lose her composure, and she rushed over, kneeling down to remove the image from the broken frame. Judy picked out the picture with trembling hands and Rachel sighed.

"This cold, heartless act you have going on? Drop it," Rachel said softly, bending down so that she was eye level with the woman. "I get it. He's your husband. You think this is his way of showing you that he loves you when the truth is the complete opposite. He doesn't love you. He likes owning you, making sure you stay in his perfect little box."

"You're wrong. He loves us," Judy said.

"Okay. You believe that. But know this, if you aren't careful, you'll lose more than a fancy house and a nice car."

"I d-don't know what y-you mean," Judy stammered.

Rachel leaned forward and whispered, "If you don't get your act together, I'll make sure you never see Quinn again. And that's a promise."

Judy's head jerked, and she clutched the picture in her hand. Rachel got to her feet as Judy started to cry. It was a surreal scene for Quinn. The only time she saw her mother cry was when Quinn broke her arm during a cheer competition. When Russell yelled at her for doing something so unladylike in public, the tears stopped, and Judy never cried in front of Quinn again. She wondered what Rachel said. Which is why she asked once they were walking down the driveway.

"I told her what she needed to hear," Rachel said coolly.

"Which was?"

Rachel hopped into the cabin of the pickup without answering. Quinn glanced at Puck, who shook his head and carefully put her in the car. Quinn decided to drop the conversation, but once she had Rachel alone again, she wouldn't give up without a fight.

* * *

Santana paced her room, waiting for her phone to ring, and she was so engrossed with waiting that she missed her father come into her room.

"What are you doing?"

Santana stopped and looked at her father. "What are you doing back? I thought you worked until tomorrow?" she asked.

"I'm on break."

"Must be a long break for you to be all the way over here," she said.

"Don't be such a smartass."

"Sure. Whatever you say, _Papi_," she said sarcastically.

Her father looked at her in so much shame. "I don't even know who you are anymore. You've changed, Santi. Ever since your Mom died, you've been-

"First, no. You don't get to come in here and give me the speech about that considering the last time I saw you was two weeks ago. Second, fuck off."

"See? There it is again! Ever since you started hanging with Russell's kid, you've been a completely different person."

"Her name is Quinn, and no, I am not a completely different person. You aren't here enough to notice nothing about me has changed! I'm the same person. I have the same routine. I wake up, eat, go to school, come home, watch TV, do homework, and go to sleep to do it all again the next day. You, on the other hand, go to work, fuck a nurse, do your job, fuck another nurse, sleep in your office, go out drinking and take home some random chick from the bar, go back to work, and then before you actually go save someone's life, you stick your dick in another random female."

Antonio stiffened and walked further into the room, his eyes blazing. "You ungrateful brat! If it weren't for me, you and your mother would still be in Puerto Rico. I saved you, both of you, and this is the thanks I get?"

"Don't get it twisted, _Antonio_. If it weren't for Mami, you would still be working back-alley clinics to put food on the table. Abuelo gave you the opportunity of a lifetime only because you got his daughter pregnant. If it weren't for me, you would still be in San Juan doing boob jobs in the back of a butcher shop!"

In hindsight, she should've seen it coming. The slap echoed in her bedroom, and Santana licked away the blood. She saw regret flash through his eyes momentarily before it was gone, and shortly after, so was he. She stood there, staring at the spot where he once stood and replayed the argument in her head. Knowing her father, he would probably pack a bag and disappear for a month, which was fine with her. She was used to an empty house, and if the last ten years hadn't changed anything, then why should it be any different now? Her phone rang, and Santana absentmindedly answered.

"Hello?"

**_"I have Quinn with me. We're on our way to Emma's house."_**

"How bad is it?"

_**"She's breathing." **_

"I'll be there soon."

**_"You okay?"_**

"I'm fine. See you at the house."

There was a pause. **_"Okay. See you soon."_**

Santana hung up. She walked over to her closet and grabbed a small suitcase. She'd stayed with Sue before for some kind of training, and she hoped the woman would let her stay at least the night. She heard her father stomping around downstairs and decided to sneak out through her mother's secret room. She would have to be careful about it, as Santana didn't want her father finding out about her secret habit. She snatched a jacket off a nearby chair and tip-toed through the hall. She ducked into her mother's study and slid the massive bookcase open.

"Gracias, Mami," she whispered.

Santana vanished down the back stairs and made sure she closed the bookcase before she left.

* * *

Emma stirred the pot of hot chocolate while Puck sliced up the pecan pie she'd stress baked. Sue was in the bathroom with Quinn, cleaning away the blood. Rachel was in the living room with LJ and Tori. Emma, while mindful of not burning the liquid, thought about how their lives were intertwining so easily and so quickly. One day, she and Sue are eating take-out and watching old Harry Potter movies. A few days later, they have a full house of teenagers all dealing with one or multiple emotional traumas. It was a lot, even for her. The back door opened and Emma paused momentarily to watch Santana dust off her boots and come inside.

"Did you make it here, okay?"

Santana gave her a look. "Since when did you guys have a fence," she asked.

"We left the entrance ajar for you," Emma pointed out.

"I didn't know that until after I climbed over the damn thing."

"Whose fault is that?"

Santana stuck out her tongue, and Emma smiled, going back to the hot chocolate. The Latina came over to Puck and kissed him on the cheek before she went in search of either Quinn or Rachel. When Santana was gone, Puck stopped plating the pies and said, "Her bottom lip is swollen."

Emma sighed and turned off the heat. "Don't tell anyone, or I'll lose my job and license, but I added Baileys to the mixture instead of regular milk. I have a feeling we might need it tonight," she said quietly.

Puck glanced at the pie and said, "We might need more pie too."


	14. Chapter 14

**Heavy chapter.**

**RCV**

* * *

In the bathroom, Sue placed a band-aid over Quinn's right eye..

"Your mother wasn't always like this, you know," she said softly. She threw away the trash and wiped her hands on her shorts.

Quinn rolled her shoulder around with a wince and said, "I know what she was like. She told me all about how she was such a wild soul before she met Russell. That doesn't change the fact that the woman she was and the woman she is are two different people, and I'm not happy with either one at the moment."

"You have to give her time to come around."

"How much more time does she needs? Until I'm dead?" Quinn snapped.

Sue held up her hands and said soothingly, "I'm only saying that your mother needs to see what she has to lose. She might not be the same woman, but she is a mother. Mothers will pick their kids ten times out of ten. Always."

Quinn said nothing. Instead, she focused on the brace keeping her shoulder in check. Sue took the hint and left the bathroom, leaving the girl in peace. She closed the door behind her but paused when she saw Santana walking through the living room. Her eyes narrowed on the busted lip Santana sported. It seemed as if everyone was wearing battle wounds that night. Even LJ and Tori had little cuts and bruises courtesy of a couple of thugs they ran into at the store. Sue could sense the tension rising with every passing moment and decided to go help Emma out in the kitchen. When Santana passed, Sue was able to see a bruise forming on the girl's cheek, barely there unless you were up close and personal. She refrained from stopping and asking if she was okay, knowing that for the moment, all Santana needed was Quinn.

Glancing across the room, Sue caught Rachel following Santana with longing eyes, and added that one day, Santana would need them both.

* * *

Rachel got up from the couch, her instinct telling her to go towards the bathroom, but instead, she went and joined the others in the kitchen. Rachel found Sue and Emma whispering with Puck, all three of them with matching frowns, and she cleared her throat.

"Does someone want to tell me what else has happened in my absence? I don't remember Russell being this brutal. I knew he was hard on her, but not like this," she said.

"It's complicated," Puck began, "Someone, and I think I know who, messed around and told Mr. Fabray about Quinn and Santana. This someone set it up so that Mr. Fabray saw Quinn and Santana making out at the end of the summer bash. No one but the Glee Club knew she was in the hospital because Finn overheard Santana talking to her father over the phone."

"Why wasn't I made aware of this?" Sue asked.

"Because it happened at the beginning of August. Quinn was out of the hospital by the time we started school, and she wanted to forget about it. So we never brought it up again."

"You said you think you know who it was?" Emma asked.

"I do."

"Who?"

"Sam."

"Sam? Why would Sam do that?"

"I don't know yet. But back then, he was real jealous about their relationship. He said some pretty mean shit to Quinn and Santana when they came out at one of my pool parties."

"The same pool parties I shut down?" Sue asked.

"Of course not, Coach."

"Unhuh."

"Are you saying Quinn is routinely being beaten by her father?"

Puck nodded and said, "I've tried getting the police to look into it, but they tell me to mind my own business before I got caught up in a case."

Rachel wanted to say something, but it would be hypocritical to condemn Quinn for not saying anything. She barely reacted to LJ and Tori joining them in the kitchen. Rachel fought through the cloud of rage to form a sentence. "What about Santana?" she asked through gritted teeth.

Puck shifted and sighed. "Ever since her Mom died, her Dad's been at the hospital and spending the night at hotels. When he does come around, he's angry and they always argue. He gives her an allowance and shows up every other month or so to make sure she hasn't destroyed the house. I don't know all the details, but she seemed upset when she called me earlier. I've learned not to ask questions about it just like with Quinn."

"Did they tell you this themselves?" LJ asked.

"In a way," he said. "They come to me because I know what it's like, and I'm the last person on Earth to put them in a position they don't want to be in when it comes to this. Sue and Emma are still teachers, educators, and they are legally obligated to inform the authorities about certain things. Santana and Quinn purposely give them the bare minimum for plausible deniability."

Rachel said softly, "I can't fault them for not wanting anybody to know. It's not an easy topic to broach."

"Why does that sound like you know more about the subject than you're letting on?" Sue asked.

"Because she does," LJ said.

Rachel glanced at LJ, head cocked, and her brother tapped his left forearm. Rachel put her arm under the table though it, and the bruises underneath, were hidden by her shirt.

"Since we've just jumped right into this conversation, how about everyone pick up a slice and a drink, and we go back to the living room?" Emma suggested quickly, anxious to get settled before secrets start coming out.

Everyone nodded, and by the time they spread out in the living room, Santana and Quinn had exited the restroom, both looking better and calmer. Rachel ducked her head, focusing on the marshmallows in her drink, and she tried to think of anything other than the jealous thoughts racing through her head. She wished she could've been in there with them, offering them both comfort but it wasn't time for that yet. She had to wait, court them, show them that she was as serious about them as they were about her.

Or, she hoped they were that serious about her. Rachel couldn't tell. That conversation still wasn't finished.

"Can we sit with you?"

Rachel's head jerked up, and the objects of her thoughts were standing in front of her. She nodded shakily, and they sat on either side of her, their arms wrapping around Rachel's middle comfortably, while their hands intertwined over her stomach. She swallowed the rock in her throat, forced her heart to stop trying to beat its way out of her chest, and took a deep breath.

"This okay?" Santana whispered, her breath ghosting over her ear.

"Perfect," Rachel whispered back.

Two heads dropped on either shoulder, and Rachel hid her smile behind her mug.

"Not to break the happy moment, but Tori and I need to confess something," LJ said slowly.

"Okay, what?" Sue asked.

Tori and LJ shared a look before Tori said, "We lied earlier. Those thugs that we mentioned earlier weren't random."

"You knew them?" Rachel exclaimed, trying not to move too much. "You just moved here. How is that possible?"

Tori cleared her throat and said, "Correction, we only saw their jackets, but we knew they were from the school. McKinley."

"People from McKinley jumped you?" Quinn asked.

"Yeah. Two beefy guys, one white and one black. The other was tall and skinny with red hair," LJ said. "We saw them after they ran away."

"Beefy?" Quinn said. She twisted to look at Santana. "You don't think it was-

"There's a lot of beefy on that team, but I know tall, skinny and red hair any day," Santana growled. "Fucking Seamus."

"If it was Seamus, then it was Dave and Azimio with him," Quinn said.

"Why the hell would they come after them?" Rachel asked. "LJ and Tori are like dangerous snakes. Leave them alone and they'll leave you alone."

"That's not at all what we're like," Tori said.

"This is ridiculous," Emma said, cutting off Rachel's response to Tori. "We have to tell someone."

"Or let me handle it," Puck said.

"Not a chance. Two strikes, remember?" Quinn said.

Puck huffed. Sue sat forward and stapled her fingers under her chin. "I'll figure something out," she said.

"Are you advocating for non-school punishment?" Emma asked, a slight smile on her face.

"Oh, hush."

Rachel was fuming. It seemed as if the entire town had lost its already diminished mind.

"Have you told Daddy yet?" Rachel asked.

"Not yet. We were going to tell him when we stopped by the house, but he was having an argument with Hiram. We didn't hear much, but it sounded like Hiram isn't too happy with you right now and Leroy was trying to defend you."

"When isn't Hiram happy with me?" Rachel grumbled.

"He seemed really angry, and we overheard him mention Santana and Quinn. I don't think he wants you hanging around them anymore."

"It doesn't matter whether I hang out with them or not. He's going to be upset and angry and do the same things he always does."

"Which is?" LJ pressed. "Already knowing the answer."

She glared at him. "Don't," she said.

"Either you tell everyone, or I tell Tori in private."

"Tell me what?" Tori asked.

Rachel clenched her jaw and took a big gulp of her drink, ignoring the liquid burning her throat. She took great pleasure in knowing there was alcohol mixed with the chocolate because she was not looking forward to talking about her relationship with her father.

"Wait," Tori said. "Does he fucking hit you?"

All eyes turned to Rachel. She placed her mug down on the coffee table and stood up from the couch. She immediately missed the warmth from Santana and Quinn, but she didn't want to be around them at that moment. She needed space to think, to decide if she wanted to lie and force a conversation change or be upfront. Her conscious eventually wore out, and she rubbed her face.

"I'm sure you all noticed my relationship with Hiram is a complicated one?" When everyone nodded, Rachel continued, "Fine. Yes, behind closed doors, Hiram has a tendency to...overreact to certain things."

"I knew he was verbally aggressive, but I never knew he was-

"He isn't. Not all the time," Rachel interrupted Emma.

"The night you attacked Issacs, did Hiram…you know?" Sue asked.

"He didn't physically hit me, no," Rachel said blandly. "But, he found out something and tore me a new one while Daddy was working late."

"Was it you being gay?" Puck asked.

Rachel made a face and looked to the ceiling. "No, I came out to them when I was fourteen. That night," she paused, "that night he went off on me because he found me packing a bag. I was planning to run away," she said.

No one said anything to that, but she could see the looks on their faces. She chewed on her lip and told them that her decision came from being tired of having to deal with the same bullshit every day. Glee was beginning to weigh on her, she couldn't focus during class because she was worried about the next time that she would get a slushy to the head, and she was falling behind because of it. Rachel admitted that it was all a lot to handle, and with the pressure from her father weighing down on her every time he got the chance to remind her of the legacy she came from, she felt like running away and never coming back.

"I didn't hear the door open. He was early coming home. Had he stayed on schedule, I could've made a clean getaway, but he burst in and saw the bag. He also found the note I was writing for them, and he lost it. He trashed my room, destroyed my trophies, called me every name he could think of, and by the end of it, he told me that the only reason he kept me was because Shelby wanted me, not him. He would've been happy dropping me off on a doorstep somewhere and never looking back. Then, of course, Shelby changed her mind, and he got stuck with me."

After she'd finished, she knew she'd confessed more than she wanted. The room was deathly silent. Emma was glancing between Santana, Quinn, and Rachel with an unreadable look on her face. Sue was staring hard at the floor while Puck had his hands running over his head repeatedly.

"What are the odds the four of us have really shitty fathers?" Santana asked, breaking the silence.

"Daddy doesn't know Hiram said that, does he?" Tori asked.

"No," Rachel whispered.

"You have to tell him, Rae," LJ said. "What Hiram said to you wasn't fair."

"LJ's right," Tori co-signed. "You have to tell him."

"Trust me, I want to, but I don't want to break up their marriage."

"If this is how Hiram treats you, I doubt it's a marriage Leroy wants to stay in," LJ said.

"Even though Daddy uprooted his whole life for that fucking prick," Tori scoffed. "He left behind his family for him and some stupid ass fairytale."

"She didn't mean that, Rae," LJ quickly amended.

"Yes, she did, but it's okay," Rachel sighed.

Tori shot Rachel an apologetic grimace, and the moment passed, but it was short-lived. Emma coughed and cleared her throat, bringing up a topic Rachel was hoping they would avoid.

"Since we're talking about touchy subjects, I would like to know what happened that night, with you and Issacs," she said slowly. "And how Officer Simmons became involved."

Rachel tensed. Her right eyebrow twitched violently. "I'm going to need something stronger than Bailey's for that conversation," she said.

"Coming right up," Sue said, popping up from her seat.


	15. Chapter 15

**Okay, so, there is a section in here where harmful language is used. I do NOT condone this language or tolerate anyone using it. It is not something I ever will endorse. Understand that I use them from a standpoint as someone who has heard them directed at myself and my loved ones. **

**-RCV**

* * *

"Long story short, I told you Hiram found me planning on dropping out of high school and running away. Well, he wasn't too thrilled due to the fact he comes from a traditional, rich and conservative bloodline. It was an insult to him to have a child that was stupid enough to throw away her education because of a few bullies. He said that if I dropped out, it would make him look incompetent in the eyes of his family and that wouldn't do. He kept saying I was destined to be great, that I was born of Alexander blood, and that I should suck up whatever problems I'm having and face it head-on. I got upset, so I ran to the diner. It was a spot that I went too. Always ordered the same thing, coffee and a piece of pie. Naturally, that night went a little differently."

"Wait, not to interrupt, but did you say Alexander?" Quinn asked. "As in William Alexander, the third richest man in the Northeast?"

"Yes," Rachel said, scrunching her face.

"That's a huge family to come from. That's almost like coming from the Gates' or the Jobs'. That's old money. I can see why your father would be upset. You're apart of his legacy, which is apart of his father's legacy, and so on and so forth."

"I figured as much," Rachel said wryly.

Quinn turned red and looked down, playing with the hem of her shirt while Santana sighed and shook her head. "Ignore her. She gets excited about things like this. Please continue," she said.

"It's okay. But that night, it was just me, the cooks, and the one waitress in there before Issacs walked through the door. I was on my second piece of pie, much to the cooks amusement because I always get full with one, anyway, Issacs came in and plopped beside me. He was already drunk, slurring with his head rolling side to side. I ignored him the best I could. The waitress took his order, and everything was fine. I was finishing my coffee when he turned to me and put his hand on my shoulder. It shocked the shit out of me but I slid out of his grip and waved down the waitress for my check. She gave it to me and got called into the back to deal with some kind of typo on a to-go order. So, it was just me and Issacs in the main part. He stared at me for so long I wanted to crawl out of my skin and curl into a ball. Eventually, he started speaking…."

_"Hey, ain't you them faggots' kid? The ones that live ov'r on Grayton Street?"_

_"I would appreciate it if you didn't insult my fathers."_

_"You are!" Issacs laughed and smacked his palm down on the table before he added, "How it feel to be the spawn of pure sin?"_

_"Can you please leave me alone?" Rachel muttered. _

_She slapped down a twenty and made her way to the door. Issacs jumped up and blocked her exit. _

_"Come on, I don't have time for this tonight," she sighed._

_"Well,I do. Cuz I wanna know how a pretty thing like you came from something as ugly as that? I mean, shit, I hope you gotcha bags packed cuz you got a one-way ticket to Hell just cuz yo Daddy wanna lay wit a man. Pity. Making the unholy kind of love under the Good Lord."_

_Rachel winced. She had heard the spiel before, but coming from him, it felt personal. "Please," she said. "Just leave me alone."_

_Issacs picked up her somewhat empty mug of coffee and snickered. "I see you like it black, huh? Guess you got somethin' in common with one of your Daddies."_

_"Leave my father-_

_"That man ain't cha father!" Issacs __shouted, slamming his fist down on the table. "And that ain't no kinda marriage in the eyes of God!"_

_Rachel sighed and pushed past Issacs, not wanting to spend another minute around the hateful rhetoric she'd come to associate with Lima, Ohio. She made it only a step before he grabbed her arm and yanked her back. He sat down on the stool and pulled her onto his lap._

_"Aw. Where you goin'? I thought we was havin' ourselves a nice lil chat," he whispered in her ear, sliding his hand up her thigh._

_Rachel elbowed him in the stomach and jumped off of him. "Don't you EVER put your hands on me again, you hateful, homophobic prick!" she hissed._

_Issacs shot up. "What you just call me?"_

_"I said, you're a hateful, homophobic prick," she repeated._

_"You betta watch yourself, girlie. That lil elbow of yours might be hard but my fists are harder," he warned._

_"Oh screw you. I'll do a lot more if you put your hands on me again."_

_Issacs laughed. "Oh yeah? Whatcha gonna do? Gonna run and tell one of yo Daddies about the big bad man at the diner? Which one you gon' tell? I don' mind taking a swing at either one. Maybe after I get done witchu, Ill stop by and visit 'em. Maybe show that nigger Daddy of yours a reason why people like him don' belong in this town. Good thing you aint take after him," Issacs paused and got closer, licking his lips before he continued, "Ya, thats what Ima do. After I take you for a lil spin, Ima pop in on Daddy one and two and hang them from that nice lil tree at the end of yo street. That nigger of yours should feel right at home with that one."_

_Issacs grabbed the back of her neck and squeezed. She tried pushing him off, but he swung her down to the nearest table and leaned down on her back. She cried out for help, but in the corner of her eye, she could see the waitress frozen in fear. The woman caught Rachel's eye and ran off. Rachel started to cry. Issacs put his hand on her lower back and exhaled, and she nearly vomited at the smell of whiskey on his breath._

_"Stay still you stupid bitch so I can show you the holy natural kind of sex the Good Lord intended," he grunted._

_Rachel saw red. She picked up the napkin container on the table and swung it back at Issac's head. When the weight on her back vanished, she turned and swung it again. She threw the container to the floor and tackled Issacs to the floor. She landed on top of him and punched him repeatedly. She didn't stop until she was dragged off him and held down on the floor. She felt ties go around her wrist and yanked off the floor. The waitress was crying to another officer while the EMTs tried to help Issacs, but Rachel didn't care. She wanted to kill him, and if she had just a few more minutes, she would've succeeded._

When Rachel finished telling the story, she reached for her glass of whiskey and downed it in one sip. She hated recalling what that man said to her, even in court she had a hard time, but she managed. When she looked up, she saw Tori and LJ fuming. She knew they were affected more than the others, their connections to the slave reference deeper than Rachel's, but it was Sue who changed the subject.

"Why was my ex-husband so gleeful about getting to re-arrest you?" she asked softly.

"Ah, Officer Simmons," Rachel said, snorting. "Well, at the time, I didn't know who he was, but he showed up while I was in jail in plain clothes. He taunted me a little but he mostly just kept telling me he couldn't wait until I was being transferred to Columbus. I didn't get any sleep that night because he made sure the other inmates kept me awake. It was the worst night of my life. When the judge dropped my charges, he was so angry. I remember watching him in court. He couldn't believe it, but he never let me forget about him. I never told them this, but one of the days I was at the house alone, there was a box delivered to my doorstep. In it was an orange jumpsuit and a mini-noose. I burned it in our fireplace and pretended like it never happened. Two days later, I was gone."

"What the fuck, Rae?" LJ said. "Why the hell didn't you say anything?"

"Would you?" she countered.

LJ didn't answer.

"That's why I don't like to talk about him," Quinn said warily. "He's the first 'Russell' in the sense that before Judy got married, Simmons was the one who filled her head with the rhetoric. I've only met him like, twice, but he's always calling and Judy lies, telling him that I'm sleep or not home or doing homework. She tries to shield me from him, but recently he's been coming to our church. Judy is quite upset and I'm getting a full impression of why she keeps him at arm's length."

"John was always passionate about right and wrong. Strong sense of moral compass," Sue sighed. "It's part of the reason why I married him. Unfortunately, passion turned to obsession, and I couldn't take it anymore. My divorce from him was a while ago, but thankfully, it led me to Emma, and I'm so happy that it did."

"What's bothering me is that Simmons said there's a new witness that claims I approached Issacs first. That's impossible considering the waitress left, the cooks said they didn't see anything, and I'm confused as to who came forward."

"Exactly. Sending you to jail for aggravated assault is pretty heavy," Puck said.

"It sounds like they're targeting you," Tori said. "As for why, that's still up for debate. You're not that interesting."

"Great," Rachel sighed. "As if I needed something else to worry about."

* * *

The next morning found Rachel wandering the halls with only the janitors for company. It was far too early for anyone else to be at the school, and she and the janitor had an understanding. She wouldn't tell the board about his weed stash in his closet and he would let her in even if the school wasn't officially open. As she walked down the hall, she let herself smile. There was one thing about McKinley that she missed, and that was the silence. Somehow, she ended up in the auditorium. Without Kurt's nasally complaining, Finn's off-balance dancing, and Mr. Schue's blatant favoritism, the place was actually her favorite to visit.

The piano stood alone, silent, and she hesitantly sat on the bench. Her fingers brushed over the keys, old memories floating to the forefront of her mind. Rachel played the opening chords to The Voice Within by Christian Aguilera. It was a secret obsession of hers to listen to the song every morning and every evening, but she stopped long before she went to Seattle. She sighed and let herself get lost in the music before she started to sing.

_Young girl, don't cry_

_I'll be right here when your world starts to fall_

_Ooh_

_Young girl, it's alright_

_Your tears will dry, you'll soon be free to fly, ooh_

Rachel's eyes closed, and she summoned the better memories from her childhood.

_When you're safe inside your room, you tend to dream_

_Of a place where nothing's harder than it seems_

_No one ever wants or bothers to explain_

_Of the heartache life can bring and what it means_

She thought of her Daddy picking her up and swinging her around while they played outside. Hiram was rarely there, but her Daddy was. He was always there for her.

_When there's no one else, look inside yourself_

_Like your oldest friend, just trust the voice within_

_Then you'll find the strength that will guide your way_

_You'll learn to begin to trust the voice within, oh_

She remembered her eighth birthday when her Daddy surprised her with a brand-new bicycle. No one else came to her party, but it didn't matter. She ate all the cake she wanted, all the pizza, and watched as many movies as she could. She rode her bike up and down the driveway, giggling when her Daddy tripped and fell trying to keep up with her, and nothing else mattered to her. She didn't need a lot of friends. She had her Daddy. Rachel felt tears well up in her eyes, and she heard her voice crack as she sang.

_Now in a world where innocence is quickly claimed_

_It's so hard to stand your ground when you're so afraid_

_No one reaches out a hand for you to hold_

_When you look outside, look inside to your soul_

Things changed as she got older. No longer was her Daddy her superhero. He was broken, miserable, but he tried so hard to still be there for her. She resented him for it, though, because it was never enough. He wasn't home the night Hiram tore into her. He was off at work, trying to avoid the house. He did get her a self-defense charge, but the day she got on the plane, Rachel thought she would look back to see him. But he didn't. Hiram had him by the arm, leading him out of the airport. Rachel hoped he would turn around, but he never did.

_Life is a journey_

_It can take you anywhere you choose to go_

_As long as you're learning_

_You'll find all you'll ever need to know_

_Break it_

_You'll make it_

_Just don't forsake it because_

_No one can stop you, you know that I'm talking to you_

Rachel slammed her fists against the keys repeatedly. Leroy was the one who encouraged her to sing, to learn the keys, to immerse herself in music, and when he stopped caring, Rachel stopped singing. She sniffed and wiped at her eyes, scrambling off the bench and out of the auditorium. So eager to get away, she missed the pair of eyes watching her from the back row.

* * *

Puck was never there on time. He hated it, but it was harder staying at home than it was coming to school. He walked the halls, intent on hiding out in the auditorium to catch another hour of sleep, but stopped short when he heard someone singing. He immediately recognized the voice, but something kept him from calling out to her. He snuck into the back row and listened. Rachel's voice was always powerful, but there was something about the raw emotion leaking into her words. The lyrics weren't hers, that much he knew, and he was almost positive she was skipping around, but the story behind the song was definitely personal. Puck frowned as her voice cracked. He'd never heard it break like that, but she kept singing.

When she hit the keys with her fists, he was about to see if she was okay, but he never got the chance. Rachel jumped up and ran out of the auditorium, swiping at her face. She ran right past him, and he didn't go after her. Instead, he sat there and wondered just what happened to make the former Broadway star stop singing. If there was one thing he knew, it was that Rachel was born to sing. Whatever it was that caused her to fall out of love with singing was big enough to worry him, and he knew exactly what he had to do.


	16. Chapter 16

**If there are mistakes, I apologize. **

**RCV**

* * *

Santana trudged down the stairs to investigate the incessant banging going on in her kitchen. She came around the corner and stopped when she saw Puck sitting on her counter, drinking a glass of orange juice.

"Why are you in my house? Better yet, why are you in my house before eight a.m.?" she asked sleepily.

Santana absentmindedly registered the fact she was falling backward, but any panic she felt vanished when the wall caught her fall. She yawned, and just as her eyes began to droop close, Puck's next words had her wide awake.

"What?"

"I said I heard Rachel singing today. I went to school early to get away from all the noise at the house, and I was passing the auditorium when I heard singing. Of course, I already recognized the voice. She made sure I would never forget it, and I saw her sitting at the piano."

"You broke into my house to tell me you heard Rachel, Rachel fucking Berry, singing?"

"One, I didn't break into your house. I know where your Dad puts the spare key. Two, think about it, San, when was the last time you heard Rachel sing?"

"I dunno, maybe the week before she left. Why?"

There was a ding. Puck hopped off the counter and poured fresh coffee into a mug. He added a little cream and an unhealthy amount of sugar before he passed it to Santana. She grunted her thanks and shuffled to the bar where she sat down, not bothering to wait before she took a massive swallow of the hot liquid.

"When Rachel got back, she was off in a lot of ways. I'm not saying it's a bad thing, but the Rachel I knew and the one that came back are two very different people. Again, not saying it's a bad thing, but this Rachel, this version, don't sing. I swear to you I have not heard her sing, hum, whistle, or anything like that since she came back."

"Still doesn't explain why you're here and why you're so jittery. You don't drink coffee that much, so it isn't that."

"Rachel used to have that Broadway feel to her songs, right?"

"Mhm."

"Well, this morning, I didn't hear any of that. And, dude, her voice even cracked."

Santana looked up from her coffee and gave him a look. "See, now you're fucking with me," she said.

"Nope," he said, popping the 'p.'

She scoffed. "Rachel's voice doesn't crack."

"I thought that, too, but it did today. It sounded like she was trying to keep from crying. Oh, and I ate a couple of donuts before I drove over here."

Santana frowned and took another sip. She thought about that time Sue shut down Quinn's idea of Rachel joining the Glee Club to prove a point. Back then, it didn't faze her, but the more she thought about it, Sue seemed dead set on not pushing the issue. Shaking her head, Santana said, "Rachel not singing shouldn't be a topic of conversation this early in the morning, but it is, and I can see why you're so gung-ho about it. She obviously has something else going on in her mind-

"Which is why I came here," he interrupted.

"Explain."

"You and Quinn are the only ones who can get Rachel to talk. Find out why she stopped singing."

"Is this some half-dick attempt to get her back in the Glee Club?"

"Why the fuck would I care about her getting into the club? We all know Rachel's life is singing, whether it's Broadway or Pop. That girl needs to sing to live, and so far, it looks like she's keeping it bottled up. I care about Rachel. She's the only family I give a fuck about and if something's wrong, something deeper than whatever happened at that restaurant, then we have to find out before it gets worse. She sounded incredible on that stage. Insanely powerful, more than before she left Lima, but it also felt like she was holding back and that scares me. What is keeping her, Rachel fucking Berry, from doing the one thing she loves more than anything?"

Santana stared at him, trying to gauge if he was telling the truth, but it was obvious from the fact he risked getting a size eight house-shoe stuck in his ass for waking her up that Puck was genuinely concerned for Rachel. She sighed and put down her coffee, getting to her feet.

"Give me fifteen minutes to shower, and we'll go," she said softly.

"Go where?" he asked. "You're suspended, remember?"

"No shit. I wanted you to drop me off at Sue's. Emma took the day off to stay with Quinn while she recovered from last night."

"Does this mean I have to go to school?"

"You want to graduate on time?" she deadpanned.

Puck sighed. "Fine, but I want all the information when I come over later," he said.

"Whatever. My plan is to go over there, talk to Quinn, and see if we can come up with a way to get Rachel comfortable enough to talk. If what you're implying is true, then maybe there is something wrong, and as much as it pains me to say this to you, I love Rachel. I'll do whatever I can for her."

Puck gave a short nod. She could see he wanted to make some smart comment, but thankfully, he kept his mouth shut. Santana jogged back up the stairs and immediately went into her bathroom. Deep down, she knew Puck was right. There was something off about Rachel, something brewing in the background, but Santana avoided bringing it up because she didn't want to overstep.

"Well, so much for not overstepping," she muttered.

* * *

Quinn was mid-bite of her sandwich when the kitchen door opened, and she frowned when Santana and Puck came inside. Santana poked Puck in the stomach and pointed out the door. He groaned and left the house, closing the door behind him.

"Jeez, it's like having a child," Santana muttered.

"Uh, what are you doing here?" Quinn asked, a mouthful of food.

"Good morning to you too," Santana said.

Quinn blushed and looked down. Emma came into the kitchen shortly after, wielding a bat, and the two teens held up their hands. Emma huffed when she saw Santana and put down the bat.

"I could have seriously hurt you," Emma said.

"I can see that, Jeter. We tried calling, but you weren't answering your phone and Quinn's went straight to voicemail," Santana said.

Emma blushed. "I was busy," she said, lowering her bat.

Quinn snorted and swallowed her food before she said, "Sue took the day off too."

Santana made a face while Emma smacked the Quinn's un-injured arm. The counselor fixed her robe. "Not that I'm not happy to see you, but why are you in my kitchen?" she asked.

"Puck broke into my house though he claimed to use a key. Anyway, Puck says he heard Rachel singing today."

Quinn waited for the rest, but when none came, she said, "Okay, and? Rachel always sings." In the corner of her eye, she saw Emma shift uncomfortably before she added, "Or maybe not. Are I missing something?"

"Well, that's a complicated question to ask. In short, yes, but it isn't what you think," the woman said, but she was cut off by Sue coming around the corner.

"Next time you pick the lock on my door, I'll change the locks and have you arrested," Sue said to Santana.

"Empty promises."

"But in response to your comment, the truth is Rachel hasn't sang in eighteen months. Trust me when I saw Puck is not the only person who noticed."

"Eighteen months?" Quinn asked. "You're joking. She sang in the bathroom while she washed her hands. She even has a damn song for it."

"She has a song?" Emma repeated. "Are you serious?"

Quinn sighed and sang, "Wash, wash, wash my hands, gently while I can. Cleaning, Cleaning, Cleaning, cleaning the nasty off my hands. She would sing that twice and then washed the water off. If she missed a beat or skips a word, she starts all over again. I've watched her do it three times because she was scared I would slushy her while she was doing it and lose her concentration."

"Wow. That's-

"Insane," Santana sighed. "Then again, I expect nothing less."

"Moving on," Emma said. "Why hasn't she been singing? It's not like her to go...silent."

Sue shrugged. "Leroy doesn't know. He said that he asked Tori if she sang in Seattle. She told him Rachel never sang around the house when they were in Washington. She didn't even participate when they did the family karaoke night. Rachel just doesn't sing anymore."

"That can't be a good thing," Emma said.

"I agree, but every time he asks her about it, she shuts down."

"Can I point out how crazy it is we're standing around your kitchen worrying about why Rachel is singing when not even two years ago some of us thought her voice was annoying to hear every day?" Quinn asked.

"You never thought her voice was annoying," Santana huffed. "You always said it was the most beautiful thing to look forward to every day."

"And you thought she sounded like a damn angel," Quinn snapped. "My point is that it's crazy that we're all super concerned like she committed murder or something."

"She came close," Emma muttered.

"The point isn't that Rachel isn't singing, it's that something happened to where she stopped singing," Santana said.

"And I agree with you."

"Then help me figure out why."

"We will. Let's just ask her first, see what she says, and then if we don't get the answer we want, we'll ask Leroy again and hope we get some answers that way. Deal?" Sue said.

Santana held up her hands in surrender, and they changed the subject to something less tense. Santana eventually sat beside Quinn and stole the other half her sandwich while Emma washed the dishes. No one said anything about the scratch marks on Santana's arm when she rolled up her sleeve, and Quinn tried not to notice how many times Santana stared at the bruising around her face. Despite the light-hearted mood, the group was still struggling with their own demons, and Quinn knew they only latched onto the Rachel thing because they didn't want to focus on anything else.

* * *

After school, it'd been almost thirty minutes when they last saw Rachel.

"Dude, where is she?" Tori asked.

She and LJ walked up and down the halls. They'd checked every bathroom, every classroom, and the locker rooms. Rachel was nowhere to be found.

"Hey, isn't that her phone?" LJ asked.

Tori ran over and picked up the device on the ground. The screen was cracked, but it was still usable. Though the phone wasn't the issue.

"Okay, you have Santana's number, right?" she asked.

"Already on it."

LJ typed out a quick message to Santana while he and Tori ran down the halls. Tori called out her name while LJ re-checked the rooms. He should've known not to leave her alone. All day it felt like something was brewing.

It seemed like no matter what they did, Rachel was having the worst day. She didn't have the detractor of Santana and Quinn, students weren't afraid of Puck anymore, and it seemed like LJ and Tori were also targets. LJ still had slushy on his shirt and Tori was still annoyed at the fact her shoes were ruined. Sue wasn't there nor was Emma. By the time lunch came around, Rachel had been slushied four times, LJ three, and Tori twice. Rachel broke after the third one, and spent the rest of the her day crying in the auditorium. Tori and LJ had no idea what to do.

It felt like everyone was trying to get Rachel to her breaking point. Funny enough, not one member of the Glee Club came to her rescue. When it happened, none of them were ever around. It pissed him off to know they were still treating her like she was expendable. With Tori screaming her lungs out, LJ strained to keep his fear under control as he dialed Santana. She hadn't seen his text, so he figured a call would get her attention faster.

* * *

Puck was driving down the street, almost back to Emma's house. He pulled up to a stoplight and a familiar car pulled up behind him. He cursed and locked his door. The driver's side door opened and Puck was tempted to gun it, but there were children crossing the street. He controlled his breathing. He turned to the side as the person walked up to his window. They were screaming, drunk mostly, but Puck kept an eye out for the last kid. He waited, and waited, but suddenly, shards of glass hit the side of his face as a fist crashed through the window, aimed for his head.

* * *

Santana glanced at her phone, saw LJ was calling and put him on speakerphone.

"Hey, weirdo. What-

**"We can't find Rachel!"**

Emma, Sue, and Quinn stopped their conversation, and she put up her hand to keep them from asking any questions.

"What do you mean you can't find her?"

**"Leroy let Rachel take his car this morning. She left at the crack of dawn so me and Tori drove her car. We were waiting for her in the front while she ran back to get something from her locker. She never came back and we can't find her! There's no Glee today, her car is still here, and we found her phone outside the second-floor bathroom. We've checked all the classrooms and closets on the first and second floor. We tried texting and calling Puck but he isn't answering. We didn't know who else to call that wasn't our father. Please we need your help."**

"Okay, okay," Santana said quickly. "We're on my way."

There was a dial tone, and Santana was up with her keys in hand. She heard footsteps, turned around, and saw Sue behind her.

"Come on, I'll drive," Sue said, taking the keys from Santana. "I can get away with speeding, you can't."

"Whatever, let's just go."

"Keep us updated!" Emma shouted, holding onto Quinn.

Santana could see that Quinn wanted to come, but her injuries kept her from doing anything more than getting up and going to the restroom.

"You better find her safe," Quinn said.

"I will," Santana promised.

Sue and Santana left the house. Sue had the vehicle in drive before Santana even closed her door.

* * *

LJ was in a state of panic. They still hadn't found Rachel. He and Tori looked everywhere and ran into Santana and Sue during their second sweep of the first floor. Santana suggested the basement, and LJ practically dragged her to the stairs. The four of them ran down the halls, peeking into abandoned rooms, and even found the old art room. They were at the end of the hall, and there were only two doors left. LJ had barely put his hand on the doorknob of the last storage closet when he heard shuffling and a muffled shout from inside. He waved his hands to get their attention before he yanked open the door. Inside, they found Rachel on the floor, but it was the person standing over her that caused all Hell to break loose. Three things happened that would always stay with LJ:

Tori wasn't the first to react.

LJ wasn't the first to land a punch.

And neither one would ever admit to being terrified of Santana at that moment.


	17. Chapter 17

**Mistakes are mine.**

**No cliffhangers this time :-)**

* * *

_Rachel was having the worst day. It wasn't the slushies that bothered her, nor was it the teasing. She was used to it. It was the fact that Santana and Quinn weren't the ones behind it. It was the fact that the Glee Club had all but abandoned her again. It was the fact that Finn refused to leave her alone and Brittany kept shooting her angry glares. It was the fact that Hiram took her off his bank account leaving her with only ten fucking dollars to her name until she 'manned up' and 'got a job' like everyone else her age. It was the fact that after already being up earlier than normal, Rachel had to scrape her Daddy off the living room floor and pump him full of water while trying to ignore the half-healed scars along his shoulders. Her night was emotional, her morning was emotional, and now it seemed like everyone at McKinley was trying to push her right over the edge._

_When the final bell rang, Rachel was the first one out of the room. She stuffed every textbook and notebook inside of her locker and took nothing home with her. LJ and Tori approached her hesitantly, and Rachel cut off whatever they were about to say._

_"Don't. Let's just go," she said._

_LJ and Tori nodded. The three of them, one in a pair of McKinley shorts and tank top while the other two resorted to squishing around in their shoes, made their way down the hall. They made it to the front door before Tori mentioned their History test. Rachel groaned and turned around._

_"Where are you going?" Tori asked._

_"To get my book. I completely forgot about that test." _

_"We'll come with you-_

_"No, just stay there. I won't be long," Rachel said, walking away._

_Rachel pulled out her phone as she contemplated texting Santana and Quinn. She'd missed them, but she didn't know how to say that without sounding desperate. She came up to her locker and was too distracted to see Brittany coming up the hall._

_"Rachel!"_

_Rachel's head snapped up, and she frowned. "Hey," she said._

_Brittany came close and smiled. "What are you still doing here? The way you ran out of class I assumed you'd be gone by now," she said._

_"Book," Rachel said shortly. "And I won't be here long." _

_"What's the rush?"_

_Rachel sighed and turned to face Brittany. "What do you want? The last time we had a conversation, you pushed me to the ground. Remember?" she asked._

_Brittany's smile dropped. "You starting the fight is what I remember," she said._

_Rachel rolled her eyes and said, "We both know that's not what happened." _

_"Sure. But have you told Santana how you punched me in the face repeatedly like the psychopath you are?" she asked. "You're lucky I didn't call the police." _

_"And you're lucky Puck stopped the fight when he did," Rachel snapped._

_Brittany stepped forward and lowered her voice as she said, "You took her from me." _

_"No, you were stupid enough to let her go." _

_"Y__ou have no idea what you did by coming back," she growled._

_"I don't know what you're talking about."_

_"No, I guess not," Brittany sighed, her face blanking as she stared at her. "Why would you?"_

_Rachel smiled thinly and pointed to her locker. "Can I get my stuff now or are you going to wait around for me to finish in some lame attempt to blame me for yet another thing?" she asked tiredly._

_Just as she went to open her locker, Brittany placed her hand on it, keeping Rachel from opening it._

_"Santana is not the person you think she is."_

_Rachel saw that coming a mile away and refrained from rolling her eyes. "Oh?" she asked, slightly failing at keeping the annoyance out of her voice. "Well, I don't think she's anything other than Santana, but I doubt you're in the position to make that comment."_

_"Look, you weren't here. You don't know the whole story." _

_"I don't need to know the whole story," Rachel snapped. "I don't want to know your reasons for doing what you did or how you felt after you got caught. It doesn't matter to me."_

_Brittany chuckled and backed away. __"You're not the only one who's changed this past year. Things happen, Rachel. People have to make decisions after they're dealt a specific hand. You of all people should know that," she said._

_Brittany walked away. Rachel glared at the back of her head as she continued down the hall, and no matter how much she wanted to, she couldn't let herself relax. There was something about Brittany that was rubbing Rachel the wrong way, and it had nothing to do with her feelings for Santana. __Her phone dinged, and Rachel looked down at the notification. It was from Puck, telling her that he was heading back to Sue's house to check on Quinn and that he would see her later that evening. Rachel didn't bother responding, knowing he was driving and wouldn't look at it until he stopped. She looked up again, noticing the hallway had gotten empty fast, and Rachel quickly opened her locker. She searched through the books and found her History book caught between her Science and Math book, the two biggest books in the school. She tried to put her phone in her back pocket, but missed completely. It fell to the floor, face down, and she grimaced as she heard it crack. Before she could lean down and pick it up, another hand beat her to it._

_"Here." _

_Rachel inwardly groaned at the sight of Finn. He was with her, alone, and she was not interested in another 'you don't know the whole story' speech from the Glee Club._

_"Look, my siblings are waiting for me. Can we not do this?"_

_"You should have stayed away from Lima," Finn said in a low voice, looking around. "You need to get out of here while you still can." _

_"Is that a threat?"_

_"Rachel, please," Finn begged. "I don't want anything to happen to you." _

_"What the fuck are you talking about?"_

_Finn looked around before he grabbed her by the waist. He picked her up and ran down the hall._

_"FINN!" she screamed. "PUT ME DOWN!"_

_"I will, just hold on," he grunted. _

_Finn carried her down the stairs and into a __dusty, old storage closet. When he put her down, she tripped over a bucket, but Finn caught her before she hit the floor, unfortunately ripping her shirt in the process._

_"What the hell are you doing!" she screamed, coughing at the dust floating in the air. "Why did you grab me like that!"_

_"You wouldn't have come with me if I asked," he said, taking two steps away from her._

_"Had you asked me, you would've taken a better risk than kidnapping me, dumbass," she said sharply._

_Finn wrung his hands together and said, "Look, I got into something super shady, okay? I fucked up that day when I got caught with Brittany. We were supposed to tell Santana and Quinn, but things got out of hand. I mean, I hate what Santana did to me, but I can't blame her for it. I honestly just want everything to go back to the way it was, but it can't. Things are going on that I can't tell you about, but Rachel, you seriously have to get out of Lima."_

_"Is that what Brittany was going on about at my locker?"_

_"What? When did she-" Finn shook his head and said quickly, "Never mind. Brittany's changed. She's not the girl I, you know, and it's hard for me to keep up the act. I need you to listen to me. I wasn't trying to hurt you or scare you, but you are being watched, even when you don't think there's anyone around. We all are. I couldn't tell you all of this up there at the risk of someone finding out. Later, ask Quinn about Mr. Miller's house. She'll know what I'm talking about. Please, Rachel. I really, really screwed up by getting in bed with these guys, but I don't want them to hurt you. Or Quinn or Santana."_

_Rachel glared at Finn. She took a step forward, but she __slipped on a towel that had fallen out of the bucket. Naturally, this left them in an unusual position when the door opened. Rachel saw her siblings, Sue, and Santana, but her shock turned into terror when Santana yanked Finn out of the closet. She cursed and scrambled to feet._

LJ grabbed her, intent on pulling her in the opposite direction, but Rachel fought him off. "Quit it! I'm trying to help you!" he exclaimed.

"No, I have to stop her. It isn't what you think," she said.

"What?"

Rachel rolled her eyes at her brother and grit her teeth as she tackled Santana off Finn and to the ground. The two of them rolled around for a bit, her momentum sending them further than she expected, but she managed to straddle Santana long enough to pin her to the floor.

"Get off me!"

"Can't do that, not until you calm down," Rachel grunted.

"Why should I calm down?!"

"Because it isn't what it looks like!"

"Oh? So, he didn't drag you down into the basement, push you in a storage closet, and rip your shirt?"

Rachel winced and said, "Okay, when you put it that way, yes, but it was an accident. Sort of."

Santana glared at her and was in the process of bucking Rachel to the floor when Rachel, in her frustration, grabbed Santana's wrists and slammed her arms to the concrete.

"If you let me explain, I will let you go, but for fuck's sake, baby! You have got to calm down!"

The term of endearment slipped, and Santana's eyes snapped to hers, wide and crazed. Rachel felt heat rush to her face, but she ignored it for the time being. Finn was on the ground, nursing a broken nose, and Tori was standing over him with her foot on his chest.

"Rachel, you better have a damn good reason for stopping her. As a teacher, I don't condone violence, but as your pseudo-godmother, I have no problems letting Santana have her way with him. Again," Sue said seriously.

"I will tell you, all of you, but you have to let him leave," she said.

"What?!"

"Hell no!"

"No fucking way!"

"I'm with them on this one. We can't just let him-

"Enough!" Rachel barked, cutting off Sue's protests. "I will gladly keep us all down here in the basement until the morning, but we all know that's a bad idea. Let Finn go, and I will tell you everything that happened."

Tori, with her foot still on Finn's chest, kicked him in the side before she backed away. Finn groaned and made his way to his feet slowly, holding his stomach with one hand and his nose with the other. Rachel glared at him, still not happy with how he handled the situation and jerked her head towards the stairs.

"Go, and I swear if you ever try this shit again, Santana will be the least of your worries."

Finn, after a slight hesitation, stumbled down the hallway and up the stairs. Rachel waited until she was sure he was a reasonable distance away before she relaxed and released her grip on Santana's arms.

"Not that I don't enjoy having you on top of me like this, but you wanna tell me why the hell you let him walk out of here after what he did?" Santana snapped.

"It looked way worse than what actually happened," she sighed, carefully sliding off Santana's lap but not getting off the floor. "He did take me down here. When he put me down, I tripped over a bucket and he caught me, but he ripped my shirt in the process. After we talked and he apologized, I slipped on a towel that fell out of the bucket. He was only trying to help me up, which is why it looked the way that it did when you opened the door. He was just trying to help me get back to my feet."

There was a brief pause. Santana got to her feet and bent down in front of her, looking her in the eyes, causing Rachel to lean back from the intense stare.

"What did he say?" she asked slowly.

"Oh, mm, well, he was just telling me about how I'm being watched, how we're all being watched, and that something shady is going on in Lima," she said. "No biggie."

Santana scowled. "No biggie?" she repeated. "How is any of that a no biggie situation?"

"Because I can't tell if he was telling the truth or not."

"Had it not been for Tori and LJ, we would've never known you were down here. He could've seriously hurt you," Santana said.

"But he-

"There is not a reason good enough in this fucking universe to keep me from burying him alive if he tries this shit again. If he even looks at you again, I'll snap his neck."

Rachel opened and closed her mouth, nodding quickly. Santana took a deep breath and shook her head, scooping Rachel off the floor bridal style. Rachel pouted at being treated like a child, but one look from Santana had her second-guessing saying anything about it.

"Can we skip over this weird, sexual tension and focus on what Finn said while you two were down here in No Man's Land?" Tori huffed.

"Yeah," LJ said. "Why did he bring you down here and not like, in the locker rooms or something?"

Rachel remembered what Finn said about people always watching, always listening, and though she wasn't completely sold on the idea there was some conspiracy against her, she didn't want to take that chance.

"Can we talk about this somewhere else?" she asked. "Please?"

There was reluctance all around, but once Santana started carrying her away from the group, Rachel sighed in relief. She knew there would be more problems once she got to the house, once the rest of the group found out about what Finn did, but she would rather be in the comfort of Emma's home rather than the bowels of her school. With Santana being so far ahead of the group, Rachel was the only one who heard what she said as they walked up the stairs.

"You shouldn't have stopped me."

Rachel whispered, "As much as I love how you're willing to go to prison for me, you didn't know the whole story. I wasn't going to let you get in trouble over a misunderstanding."

Santana looked down at her and beneath the simmering fury that rested in her gaze lay something more passionate, something that stole Rachel's breath away. "That's what you don't understand. You and Quinn mean more to me than I let on, and I guess you can blame my poor presentation of love on my parents, but I will gladly go to prison for you and her. You say I didn't know the whole story, and you're right. Well, I say I don't need the whole story. All I need is a reason."

"I have to confess something to you and Quinn," she said softly.

Whatever response Santana had was lost as the rest of the group caught up with them, and if they noticed the way Santana had Rachel tucked into her chest or the way Rachel was hiding her face in the crook of Santana's neck, they didn't say anything.


	18. Chapter 18

**Mistakes are mine**

**RCV**

* * *

Emma turned off the lights in the living room. LJ and Tori had pretty much taken over the floor in front of the sofa where Rachel slept. Santana refused to go home and had her arms wrapped around Quinn as they took over the loveseat. Emma and Sue said nothing about the fact that Santana, while her arms were around Quinn, had her hand resting on top of Rachel's head. Emma also said nothing about the fact Santana had rearranged the furniture to suit everyone's needs. Puck, well, Emma sighed and shook her head. He came stumbling in an hour after the others and rebuffed questions about the blood caked on his face. After making sure Puck didn't have a concussion, Sue gave him an ice pack and put him down in the recliner. He fell asleep after continuously bugging Rachel about Finn. Emma guessed the events of the day drained them all. Stopping by the front blinds to close them, Emma sighed to herself as she locked the house up for the evening.

Sue came up behind her and wrapped her arms around her waist, kissing the top of her head.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

Emma looked over her shoulder and stared at the kids spread out across her living room. In a matter of days, she had grown more attached to them than she thought possible, and though LJ and Tori were fairly new, Emma had already decided she would do anything for them. She grabbed Sue's hand and took her upstairs to the bedroom. She closed the door and chewed on her lip while she thought about how she wanted to bring up the conversation that'd been on her mind all night. Soft fingers brushed against the side of her neck in comfort.

"What is happening, Sue?" she whispered. "It feels like we're missing something."

Her girlfriend said nothing, merely continuing to offer comfort and reassurance where she could, and Emma heaved a deep sigh.

"I have something to tell you," she said. "Something I never told you."

Sue nodded slowly, watching Emma carefully and patiently. That was one of the things she loved about Sue. The woman was a hard-ass in public, but behind closed doors, she was as soft as cotton. Emma looked away briefly and got her thoughts together.

"Three days after Finn was cleared to return to school, he came into my office. I didn't think anything of it, you know? I expected Finn would show up at some time to vent or hide out from all the people teasing him because of what happened, but I never expected him to come in the way he did. Naturally, he was still recovering from what happened, and he looked to be in a lot of pain, but the way his eyes darted around the room told me there was something else going on. He kept telling me that I was the only safe place in the school, that I was the only one that wouldn't tell, but no matter how hard I tried, he refused to tell me what he was talking about. Before I could try another route, Finn's tone changed. His eyes were wide and glassy as he pleaded with me to watch out for Quinn and Santana. He mentioned that Puck could take care of himself, but he begged me to watch out for them. And as quickly as it happened, he limped out of the room. I sat there for a long time, confused, and then I brushed it off and tried to forget about it. But now-

"Now you're wondering if you should've said something beforehand?" Sue guessed.

Emma nodded and teared up. "What if what's happening is because I didn't say anything before now?" she cried.

Sue pulled her into her arms and kissed her forehead. "What happened has happened, sweetheart, and there is nothing we can do about it now. We just have to move forward and make sure that we protect them the best we can. But to answer your original question, yes, I do feel like we're missing something. This all seemed to happen at once. As soon-"

"As Rachel came back," Emma finished softly.

Sue held her for a moment. They stood in their bedroom, six resting teens in their living room downstairs, and Emma couldn't shake the fact that Finn's behavior stemmed from something else. He hadn't been the only one acting strange the week after Rachel left and the following weeks after. It seemed to spread around the Glee Club, affecting everyone but Quinn, Santana, and Puck. Blaine had all but vanished into the background, choosing to keep his head down. Mike and Tina were failing their classes, Mercedes and Kurt were becoming vicious, and not to mention Finn and Brittany had all but become the power couple Quinn and Finn were supposed to be. Emma wanted to call them out on it, but every time she asked Will about it, he cut her off and changed the subject. While she thought about what had changed, Sue made a comment that took Emma by surprise.

"You know, those kids changed shortly after their trip to Detroit."

Emma frowned and looked confused. "When did they go to Detroit?" she asked.

"That competition or whatever Will took them too. He asked Figgins for permission slips to take the club to Detroit so they could look at other show choirs."

"Babe, are you sure?"

"I'm positive. I was in the office when he asked."

Emma stepped back a little and said, "I only ask because I get all permission slips through my office to ensure that the parents' signatures match the ones we have on file. After that incident with Jacob sneaking on the cheerleading trip, we don't take any chances with large groups."

Sue gave her a look, and Emma huffed lightly.

"I'm saying I never got any slips for the Glee club to go to Detroit or received any paperwork for it."

"Are you sure you just didn't miss it?" Emma glared at her, and Sue quickly added, "Sorry, I just can't see William lying about a field trip with the Glee Club. Half of them are as boring as the songs they sing, and the other half probably can't legally leave the state of Ohio."

Emma smacked her for the crack against the students and said, "Don't be like that. I don't know why the slips never came across my desk. Maybe Figgins just forgot."

Sue went to respond, but the door cracked open, and Quinn appeared on their threshold, her eyes guilty.

"Sorry," Quinn muttered. "I was coming up here to ask if you guys minded if I made a late-night snack for me and the Berry Brigade."

"Why did they send you?" Sue asked.

Quinn knew what she was asking and moved her arm around as she said, "It doesn't hurt anymore. LJ and Tori didn't feel comfortable coming up here and Rachel was still drowsy."

"How long have you been standing there?" Emma asked.

"Uh, long enough to hear you talking about the Detroit trip."

"Wait, so there was a trip?"

Quinn nodded and said, "He never turned in the permission slips because he lied about where we were going. He told us that he knew Figgins wouldn't look up a competition if he suggested paying for everything, and he knew Sue wouldn't care enough if it was Glee related. We did have our parents sign off on a trip, but it wasn't to a competition. It was a conference of sorts."

"What kind of conference?"

"The kind that I wish I had never gone too. I should've known something was off when my Dad readily agreed to send me."

Emma felt Sue stiffen slightly, and she quickly took over before Sue lost the plot.

"Where did he take you? Why didn't you come to me? We could've reported it."

"I didn't have anything to report."

"You didn't or you couldn't?" Sue asked.

Quinn looked at Sue and said, "I left early. I have no idea what happened after they got to the conference. I took a red-eye back to Columbus."

"Why?"

"Santana and Puck weren't there, which told me something was wrong."

Sue and Emma shared a look, and then Emma looked back at Quinn, confused. "Why did that give you the impression something was wrong?" she asked.

"Mr. Schue told us Santana and Puck couldn't get permission from their parents. I texted them once we landed in Detroit. They were never invited."

"What do you mean they were never invited?" Sue said slowly.

Quinn shifted and tucked a stray hair behind her ear. "Rachel mentioned that Finn told her to ask me about Mr. Miller's House, and I told her that I didn't know what she was talking about. Well, while I was sleeping, I remembered. I had pushed the event so far back into my head that I forced myself to forget about it. Mr. Miller is the name of the guy that ran the conference, and it was in his house. Finn put more than himself in danger by pulling that stunt he did, but I know why he did it the way that he did. Finn isn't being paranoid about people always watching. There are people in this town deeply connected to Mr. Miller. Some are more committed than others. I don't know who, but I hear things and see things when I'm stuck with my father at church. I also don't know who Mr. Miller is, technically, but I know that whoever is tied to him is bad news."

"When you say bad news-

"As in conservative, holier-than-thou types. Basically my father duplicated a hundred different times."

Sue and Emma cringed and neither one knew what to say. Quinn leaned against the door frame and shook her head.

I don't know what happened on that trip, but I know that when they got back, they were different. I still don't know what Mr. Schue said to get them to stay nor how he wrapped Mercedes, Mike, and Tina into all of it since they aren't exactly the type that Miller lets in, if you know what I mean."

Emma's eyes widened. "Oh my god. It's a race group?"

"I think so. Miller's house isn't as strict as the Aryan Brotherhood, but they definitely have a preference. They aren't too focused on sexual orientation. Well, the guy who created it doesn't care, but some don't care for it."

"When did you know what it was?" Sue asked, ushering Quinn to the chair at Emma's vanity.

"I, uh, well, I snuck off once we got there. I was trying to call Rachel again," Quinn admitted, looking down. "I was trying to apologize and make sure she was okay. I thought she left because of me at the time, and I wanted to convince her to come back. While I was on the phone, I overheard some guys talking about their plans and how excited they were that Mr. Miller had finally come to their side of the country. They started talking about how they were ready to put the 'others' back into their place, and it didn't take much to know who the 'others' were."

"Surely Will didn't know this," Sue said. "He wouldn't do something like this."

Quinn shrugged and rubbed at her shoulder. "I don't know what his purpose was. All I know is that he said or did something at that meeting that changed the Glee club."

Sue ran a hand over her face and put her hands on her hips, pacing the bedroom. Emma knew she was having a hard time believing William would ever put the students into that situation, but Emma wasn't. She knew William had his secrets, his preferences, and the way he treated Finn and Quinn over Mercedes and Tina outside of the Glee club. Sue, as much as she got on William, loved that man like the brother she never wanted. In her mind, it was a betrayal to see someone who preached so much about being "inclusive" would be apart of a group that wanted nothing to do with it.

"Tell me how Rachel's involved," Emma said.

"I have no freaking idea," Quinn sighed.

"Someone has to know," Sue prompted.

Emma turned on her heel and grabbed her phone. She dialed a number and held up her finger when Sue started to ask who she was calling. Waiting for the person to pick up, Emma smiled when he answered.

"Hello, Blaine. I'm so sorry to be calling at this hour, but something has come to my attention regarding your grades, and I need to meet with you tomorrow morning before classes to see if we can come up with a way to get you back on track."

Emma listened, knowing Blaine wouldn't protest too much considering his grades really were slipping, and when he agreed, she relaxed and told him she would see him in the morning. Hanging up and putting her phone back on the charger, Emma just so happened to glance out of the window and saw a cop car pulling up in front of the house.

"Cops," she said.

"Why do you think they're here?" Quinn asked.

"I don't know, but I have a feeling you don't need to be seen here." To Sue, she added, "You should grab Santana."

Sue moved into action, and Emma pulled Quinn with her. She unlocked something in her closet and gently pushed Quinn inside.

"Don't move or make a sound. You'll be fine, okay? I made this as a panic room. Only me and Sue know about it."

Quinn nodded and settled into the space Emma built into her closet in case of emergency. Sue came in with Santana in her arms, the girl still half-sleep, and she passed her to Quinn. The blonde gathered Santana in her arms and soothed her back to sleep, nodding at Emma to tell her they were good. Emma closed the door, locked it, and made sure the air was flowing before she hurried out of the room with Sue hot on her heels. They took the stairs two at a time, and while Sue went to make sure none of Quinn's stuff could be seen, Emma opened the door just as the cop knocked. There were two more hanging behind him, and Emma was glad she took the initiative to hide Quinn and Santana.

"Good Evening, are you Emma Pillsbury?"

"Yes, how can I help you tonight, Officer," Emma looked down at the name, "Gettier?"

"We were called here in response to a noise complaint."

"Noise complaint?" she repeated. "By who?"

"That's not important. May we have a lock around?" he asked.

Emma frowned and said, "I don't understand why you would need too."

"We come in with or without a warrant, and I'm sure you don't want this showing up on your personal record. You're a school counselor, right?"

Emma ground her teeth. She opened her door wider and stepped to the side. "Come in, but I assure you there is nothing here for you to find," she said.

"We'll be the judge of that."

The three of them walked past her. They did a double-take at the number of teens in the house. Emma told them she was having a counseling session for some of her students. She even went as far as to saying their parents were aware they were there.

"It's for students who have slipping grades and need a safe space outside of my school office," she lied.

LJ and Tori were already sitting up with Rachel, and Puck was spread out across the floor in front of them. Rachel was looking around the room, and Emma could tell she was trying to figure out where Santana and Quinn had gone. The officers searched the first floor, and Sue went up to the second floor with two officers while the third stayed down with them.

"Officer?" Emma called out.

"Yes?"

"Why are you really in my home?" she asked.

"Police business," he said shortly.

"So if I call and ask your superior-

"He'll tell you the same thing."

Emma narrowed her eyes. She folded her arms and decided to stop asking questions. When Sue and the other two officers came downstairs, Officer Gettier inclined his head and gestured towards the door. He turned and looked at Emma.

"I'd get these kids home. It's almost curfew," he said.

"I'll get right on it," she said.

The officer bowed his head and smiled, though it was all teeth and no warmth. "You all a nice evening," he said.

Sue let them out, and they waited until they were sure the car was gone before they did or said anything.

"What the hell was that about?" Puck exclaimed.

Rachel thought about what Finn said and she nudged her brother.

"Do you remember that app you created?" she whispered. "The bug one?"

LJ's eyes widened. "You don't think-

"After today, I don't want to take any chances."

LJ pulled out his phone and clicked some buttons. While he was doing that, Rachel stepped over Puck.

"Sue, were you with them the entire time upstairs?" Rachel asked.

"Yes, I was in every room."

"With both of them?"

"Well, no, one of them went into the bathroom for a moment while the other went into the bedroom. I picked the bedroom."

Rachel sighed and said, "Okay."

"Got it," LJ said.

Emma and the others, minus Tori and Rachel, looked confused when LJ stood up, walking around the room. Once he got closer to the television, LJ frowned and bent over. He reached behind the TV and pulled out a small, circular device. He dropped it on the floor and smashed it beneath his shoe. It took a few seconds, but they realized what it was. He held his finger to her lips and pressed a button on his phone. He continued to walk around the room. He found another one in a lamp and another on the wall behind a picture frame. Once he was confident, LJ relaxed and shook his head.

"I've disarmed at least three listening devices downstairs alone."

"You what?" Sue exclaimed.

"Finn was right," Rachel whispered.

"What the hell is going on?" Puck asked. "Why would they bug your house?"

Emma and Sue looked at one another, and Sue grabbed her hand.

Why would they bug their house, indeed.


	19. Chapter 19

**I'm not advocating for any of the situations happening in this story. **

**Mistakes are mine**

**RCV**

* * *

Rachel remained downstairs while LJ took Sue upstairs to figure out where the bugs were and how many there were. Emma escaped into the kitchen for a late night snack. Puck decided to go back to sleep, confident there was nothing for him to do at that moment. Santana and Quinn were still nowhere to be found, but Rachel knew better to ask about them with however many ears and eyes watching their moves. Tori was entertaining herself by looking through Emma's movies.

"I would have never pegged Emma for being a fan of Stephen King."

Rachel glanced at her sister and said, "Who said the movies were Emma's?"

Tori grunted and continued being nosey while Rachel reached down and rubbed Puck's back. She knew he would tell them what happened on his own time, but that didn't mean she was happy about someone attacking him like that. He was the sweetest person she'd ever met, and though he hid it with sarcasm and sleazy comments, Puck had a bleeding heart that Rachel saw on the daily. He would sacrifice everything for the people he loved without hesitation.

Rachel's head popped up when Sue came back downstairs, a pale look on her face, and behind her came Santana, Quinn, and LJ. Rachel wanted to pop up and make sure they were okay, but she settled for waving them over and pulling LJ down on the couch. Tori sat down on the floor, shifting Puck so that his feet were in her lap. The boy didn't move nor react to being adjusted, telling Rachel just how tired he truly was. Emma came in with a bowl of popcorn while Quinn and Sue whispered heatedly. Santana looked on in confusion.

"Tell them or I will," Sue exclaimed.

Quinn flinched.

"Tell who what?" Tori asked.

"Rachel," Sue said. "Well, all of you, actually," she corrected.

"All of us?" Santana repeated, her voice soft.

Quinn deflated and said, "I didn't know how to tell you. Especially with everything that was going on at that time. Eventually, I just forgot and moved on."

Santana frowned but said nothing. Rachel felt LJ shift on the couch, and she moved her leg so that he could have more space.

"Look, this is all that I know about any of this. Some answers I don't have, and I don't know why Finn told you to ask me as if I know anything beyond the bare minimum, but whatever. So, certain members of the Glee Club took an unsanctioned trip to Detroit under the guise of going to a choir competition. Everyone was invited except Santana and Puck. Why, I have no idea, but instead of it being a competition, it was a conference of sorts. Mr. Miller's House is the name of the man and the organization in charge of the conference. In short, Finn wasn't paranoid about people always watching. There are people in this town deeply connected to Miller's House, and some are more committed than others. I don't know who, I don't know what happened on that trip, but I know that when they got back, they were different. Like I told Sue and Emma, I still don't know what Mr. Schue said to get them to stay nor how he wrapped Mercedes, Mike, and Tina into all of it. They aren't exactly the type the organization lets in if you know what I mean."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. What do you mean by that?" LJ asked.

"What do Mercedes, Mike, and Tina have in common?"

"They're annoying?" Tori guessed.

"They're people of color," Quinn sighed.

There was a beat before Santana exclaimed, "You went to a conference about race supremacy?!"

"No! I mean, yes, but I didn't stay," Quinn stammered, turning red. "I left early. That's why I said I don't have all the answers."

"Why'd you leave?"

"Why else would I leave?!" Quinn snapped, a little offended. "I don't believe in that kind of stuff."

Santana smiled apologetically but Rachel could see there was still some tension between them.

"Can we ask important questions, please? Like why the hell the Glee Club went to one of those things?" LJ asked. "Who the hell thought that was a good idea?!"

"Mr. Schue," Quinn muttered.

"I'm sorry, did you say Mr. Schue?"

"Yes."

"Mr. Schue took members of the Glee Club to a conference about white supremacy in Detroit?" LJ asked.

"Yes."

No one said anything, but Rachel saw Santana's face fall even more. Emma called everyone to attention and held out her hands. Everyone but Tori, that is. Her sister had her phone out, typing something onto the screen, but Emma continued as if she didn't notice.

"This isn't on Quinn," she said. "There were things that happened that neither she nor I spoke of out of confusion and wanting nothing more than to forget they ever happened. Shortly after Finn's, um, accident, I had an encounter with him. He was paranoid, and before he left, he asked me to keep an eye on Santana and Quinn. He pleaded with me to make sure they stayed safe. I still don't know why, and I haven't been able to figure it out with the information provided."

"Finn asked you to protect us? From what?" Quinn asked.

"I have no idea. That's why I never said anything. It was a strange encounter that I pushed to the back of my mind," Emma admitted.

"Look, I think that we can all agree that we've kept secrets from one another," Rachel said, sighing. "But that's in the past. The best thing we can do right now is settling down, come together, and figure out first what this House is-

"Done," Tori said, holding up her phone.

Rachel blinked. "What?"

"Mr. Miller's House started in the late 1950s, disappeared after the early 90s, and came back into the spotlight about ten years ago. They were particularly active during the sixties and the seventies, naturally, and they were responsible for many accused but not convicted crimes against African Americans, Indigenous peoples, Hispanics, and Asians. They aren't too fond of Jews, but they felt they were close enough to pass."

"Okay, I can see why that would be a problem with Tina, Mike, and Mercedes being invited. Rachel wasn't here so there was no reason for her to even be considered," LJ said.

"Wait, what about Puck?" Rachel asked. "Why was he not there?"

"Because his biological father is half-Hispanic," Quinn muttered.

"Biological?" Tori repeated.

"His Dad died when he was three," Santana said.

"Oh."

Tori looked down at that and continued to read, "Um, right. Well, it says here that there's been a change in leadership. Only for the last three years have they started to integrate, um, colored people into their ranks in hopes of understanding how they work and the best way to figure them out."

"That sounds a lot like a war tactic," Santana pointed out stiffly.

"Indeed," Sue said. "And I hope that's not the case."

"Sorry to disappoint you, but naturally, this group believes a race war is on the horizon, and that they need to be prepared," Tori spat in disgust.

"Great," Santana said sarcastically.

Rachel rubbed the bridge of her nose and asked, "Who is the leader this time? You said there was a change in leadership."

Everyone waited patiently for Tori to scroll and search for the name.

"Uh, the name on here is Chase A. Miller."

Rachel tensed at the name and asked, "What does the A stand for?"

"Let me see." Tori chewed on her lip while the page loaded, and Rachel winced when her sister's frown became a look of disbelief. "You've got to be fucking kidding me!" she exclaimed.

Rachel chewed on the inside of her cheek when Sue asked what was on the page.

"His full name is Chase Alexander Miller, middle child from the Alexander family of Alpena, Michigan."

The room descended into silence.

"To clear up any suspicions, Rachel, you mind filling us in here?" Emma asked carefully.

Rachel looked down at her fingers. "Chase is my Uncle. He's about two years younger than Hiram, and I've only met him once. Rumor is Chase got involved in some Neo-Nazi group while he was in college. When he came back from college, everything changed. Hiram and Chase were almost best friends, but when my father came out of the closet, Uncle Chase became violent. He threatened to kill Hiram many times, which is how Hiram ended up in Seattle. He was running from the family. Anyway, fast forward a few years, we had just moved to Lima. One night, me and Daddy were having a movie night. I remember there being a knock on the door, and Daddy opened it, thinking it was someone else. But it was Chase. He had all the typical tattoos and shaved head. When Chase saw Daddy, he lost it. He pulled a gun out and...he put it against Daddy's head. I panicked and started throwing movie cases at Chase's head. It distracted him long enough for Daddy to wrestle the gun away from Chase. He eventually won and pushed Chase off the porch. Chase warned Daddy that he would be back, and he ran off."

"Where was Hiram in all of this?" Sue asked.

Rachel sniffed and wiped at her tears. "At work. Daddy made me promise not to tell him," she said softly.

"You never told Hiram that his insane brother showed up to the house and tried to kill Daddy?" LJ huffed.

"I was six!" Rachel shouted.

"It doesn't matter!" LJ shouted back. "You should have told him and-

Rachel stood up and yelled in her brother's face, "And what! What, LJ? Tell me what my father would've done? You think he would've cared? Huh? You think he would've done something about it? You and I both know that man wouldn't have done SHIT."

"Get the fuck out of my face!"

LJ pushed Rachel. She stumbled back and LJ was too caught up in the moment to see Santana and Quinn take a step forward. Sue grabbed them and shook her head. Rachel had tears in her eyes and that's when Tori stepped in. She smacked LJ across the face and he was too shocked to do anything but stand there.

"You're a fucking idiot, you know that?" she hissed.

"What? You're taking her side?"

"There is no side! Daddy was the one who told her not to say anything. Who's to say he never told Hiram, huh? It's not fair to put that on her," she said. Tori then smacked him on the back of the head as she added, "And you just put your hands on her. On Rachel, our sister."

LJ's eyes widened as he looked at Rachel. "Shit. Rae, I'm sorry. I wasn't-

"Drop it," she cut in.

"Rae-

"I said drop it," she snapped.

Rachel turned back to the group and folded her arms against her chest. Her voice was decidedly more bank and monotonous as she spoke, "I'm not surprised Chase is a leader of some white supremacy group. He's a nutcase. And if there's one thing I've learned from rumors and off-handed comments Daddy's made, Chase Miller is one of the vilest human beings I have ever met. Trust me, if you ever run into him, and you're not white, you'll find that the Devil sometimes walks the Earth as a human being."

"Are you saying Chase is interested in starting a race war?" Emma asked.

"It can't be just that," Sue said.

"I can't say I'm too interested in finding out," Tori muttered.

"Me either," Santana said.

Rachel shrugged. "No need in figuring it out tonight," she said.

"Agreed. You all go home or go upstairs and get some rest. It's late," Sue said.

Rachel nodded distractedly. She wanted to know how Mr. Schue got caught up with someone like Chase.

"Rachel?" Emma called out hesitantly.

Emma broke her out of her thoughts. The room was empty sans the four of them.

"Santana took Puck home," Emma said. "And Quinn went upstairs with Sue."

"Oh, sorry. We'll get out of your hair."

Rachel, Tori, and LJ said their goodbyes. Once they got to their respective cars, Rachel paused with her hand on her door. She looked across the driveway at LJ, who was slowly getting into the passenger's seat of the other car.

"Hey, LJ?" she called out.

LJ glanced at her warily.

"You pull some shit like that again, brother or not, you'll be on your way back to Seattle in a body bag."


	20. Chapter 20

Rachel entered the house. Driving alone was a bad idea. All she could do was work herself up into rage at her father. Hiram was always keeping secrets, always hiding something from them, and she wouldn't be surprised if he kept his relationship with Chase a secret. She slammed the door and made sure to cause as much noise as possible. LJ and Tori had already gone in before her, and they were rightfully keeping quiet. The more noise she made, Hiram made his appearance with Leroy hot on his heels. Though only one had a furious look in his eyes.

"Who the hell do you think you are coming into my house making all this noise? It's almost midnight!" Hiram exclaimed.

"When was the last time you spoke with Uncle Chase?" Rachel asked.

Hiram's eyes never lost that fury.

"Rachel, what are you talking about?" Leroy asked.

She ignored her Daddy for the time being and stared directly at Hiram.

"You talk to him, don't you?" she demanded.

Hiram scowled and clenched his fists a few times by his side, but Rachel could see he was biding his time. She knew both of her fathers very well. She knew when they were lying, when they were hiding something, and when they were genuinely confused about what she was talking about. Hiram's tell was his hands, it was always his hands, and when he clenched his fists like that repeatedly, Rachel knew he was about to try and cover his tracks.

"I don't see why you're concerned about my relationship with my brother," he huffed.

Leroy looked at his husband. "You still talk to him?" he asked softly. "After what I told you?"

"You knew what happened with him?" Rachel asked. "What he did to Daddy?"

"I spoke to Chase about it. He promised to leave us alone," Hiram said.

Rachel lost it.

"HE COULD HAVE KILLED HIM!" she screamed.

Hiram stepped forward and put his finger in her face. "Now you hold on just one minute. You will watch the way you speak to me. I am YOUR father! And you will treat me as such!"

"You are nothing more than a sperm donor," she hissed.

Hiram glared at her, his face red. "You better watch it," he growled.

Rachel would normally back down but she was tired and not in the mood for the games. She got in his face the best she could and said, "I don't want too, _Dad_. So how about you just tell me why you're talking to Uncle Chase even though he tried to kill your husband. Lie to me, and I'll make your life a living hell."

A beat.

"It already is living here with you! I wish I had never agreed to take you from Shelby!" Hiram yelled.

The type of silence that followed meant that Rachel heard LJ and Tori gasp in shock. Leroy's face fell, and the entire family stayed still as Hiram and Rachel had their stare-off. Rachel swallowed the truth of that statement and shook her head.

"You know what? Forget it. I don't have the energy to fight you. Not anymore. I'm done."

"The feeling is mutual," he hissed back.

"Hiram!" Her Daddy finally found his voice and grabbed his husband by the arm. "She's your daughter, our daughter. We need to take some time and- and figure this out as a family. You can't-

"Yes. I. Can," Hiram snapped. He yanked his arm away and added, "She's an adult. If she wants to act like this, then fine. Let her. And if you want to keep babying her, then by all means, go right ahead."

"It's not called babying her. It's called being her father!"

Rachel watched them fight with tears in her eyes. She knew it was coming, but seeing it happen made it hurt even more.

"You are no more her father than I am!" Hiram shouted.

Leroy flinched back as if he'd been slapped. "W-what?" he whispered. "Why would you say that to me? After everything we've been through, you-

"Don't you get it, yet? I don't care anymore, Leroy. I don't care! I stopped caring a long time ago! This was a mistake, playing house with you is and has always been my second biggest regret. We should have never gotten married or had a family. I was better off on my own."

"You are the one who pursued me! How can you say this was a mistake when it was all your idea?"

Hiram brushed off the question and said, "That doesn't change anything. I'm tired. I'm tired of being here, of being your husband, and I'm sure as hell tired of being the father to this ungrateful, spoiled, psychopath of a girl."

Rachel ignored the dig at her. All she cared about was the beginning of that statement. She cried openly as her Daddy put his hand over his heart.

"A-are you saying you want a divorce?"

Hiram finally showed an emotion other than anger as his shoulders deflated and he rubbed his face. "Yes, Leroy. I want a divorce," he said. "And once I get my finances in order, you can have her in the settlement."

Rachel said nothing as Hiram brushed past her. She stood stock still as she listened for the car engine in the garage. She listened for it all the way down the street until there was nothing but silence.

"Rae?"

She blinked and looked at LJ. For a moment, all was steady, until she was falling. She barely registered LJ catching her before she hit the ground. Rachel cried into his arms, more than she ever did while Leroy sat down on the couch. Tori held their father while LJ held her. Rachel's pain spread through her body. She released the hurt she'd been carrying for years, and it all collected in one place. Reaching up, Rachel grabbed at her chest and sobbed harder.

* * *

Santana closed the door to her bedroom. Puck went back to Emma's, something about not being ready to go home. She didn't ask him about it, but she told him to keep an eye on Quinn while he was there. Santana flopped on the bed and stared at the ceiling. A faded poster of Aerosmith looked down on her, and she heard the front door open and close. She sighed and reached over to her phone, scrolling through the songs before she picked one that would annoy her father enough that he would hopefully walk past and leave her alone. He was never too interested in her love life, so she picked one that was something she planned on singing to her girls at some point.

Santana cringed slightly. She had to stop calling Rachel her girl. She hadn't even asked her out on a date yet. Pressing play, Santana sighed as Aerosmith filled the room, and she started to finally relax.

_I could stay awake just to hear you breathing_

_Watch you smile while you are sleeping_

_While you're far away and dreaming_

_I could spend my life in this sweet surrender_

_I could stay lost in this moment forever_

_Ooh, every moment spent with you is a moment I treasure_

Santana heard her father's footsteps pause outside of her room.

_Don't want to close my eyes_

_I don't want to fall asleep_

_'Cause I'd miss you, babe_

_And I don't want to miss a thing_

_'Cause even when I dream of you_

_The sweetest dream will never do_

_I'd still miss you, babe_

_And I don't want to miss a thing_

The silhouette of his shoes vanished after a while and Santana rolled her eyes, tears pooling in the corner. As much as she didn't want him to come in, she hoped he would break tradition if only just to see if she was okay. Shaking her head, Santana put her arms under her head and let her music play for the rest of the night.

Halfway through the next song, there was a sudden, dull pain in her chest, but she couldn't place it. She shrugged it off, thinking the food she had earlier was coming back to haunt her. Santana closed her eyes and fell asleep, still lightly rubbing the space over her heart.

* * *

Quinn curled up in her bed with Puck beside her. He had his arms wrapped around her and was rocking her side to side. He was the only guy who could get away with it, and he knew that. Quinn's thumb found its way into her mouth and Puck chuckled, his chest shaking with the action.

"You still do that?" he murmured.

"Yeah," she said around her thumb.

"Does Santana know?"

Quinn rolled her eyes. "I've been sleeping with her for months now."

"I'm just saying. She hasn't tried to break you of it?"

"No. She thinks it's cute. Plus, she has some embarrassing things she does at night, so we've agreed just to let each other have our guilty pleasures."

"You talking about the feet thing?" he asked.

"Why am I not surprised you know about that?"

They shared a laugh before falling back into silence again. Just as Quinn was starting to fall asleep, a dull pain shot through her heart and she hissed. Puck jerked and looked down at her.

"Q? You good?" he asked sleepily.

"Yeah, sorry. My heart hurts a little and I don't know why," she sighed.

"How often do you get it?"

"Not often, actually. It just feels like… I have no idea. Maybe it's just heartburn."

Puck grunted and shifted down, adjusting his grip on her. "Maybe. If it keeps happening, I'll go and get you something," he said, half-awake.

Quinn smiled and kissed his cheek before she went back to lying on his chest. The two fell back asleep, but Quinn still felt the pain in her chest. She ignored it for the time being and went to sleep, Aerosmith's I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing playing in the back of her mind.


	21. Chapter 21

**Mistakes probably happened in this story.**

**RCV**

* * *

Puck leaned against the lockers and munched on an apple. LJ and Tori looked meaner than ever. They made a Cheerio cry. A full-blown, trained by Santana and respected by Sue Cheerio break down into tears in the middle of the hallway right before their third period. The two also got into a massive row midway through the second period and had to be separated by teachers. Naturally, they were the best of friends ten minutes later, but it was obvious something was going on in the Berry household. He decided not to ask. He had enough family drama to worry about.

Puck scratched at the bandage covering the side of his face. He was adamant it made him look bad ass. He was still having a hard time remembering the little details, but the pain was gone so he counted that as a small win. He turned to the side and stared at the biggest sign something was wrong with the Berry family. Rachel was there, technically, but she was having Quinn-like blow-ups and was kicked out of class twice.

"Stop staring at me or I'll shove that apple up your ass."

Puck blinked and pushed off the locker. "Alright. Spill. You three are walking time bombs and even Sue is giving you guys a longer than normal leash. What happened yesterday?" he asked quietly.

"The usual. Hiram and I had a fight. He snapped, asked for a divorce, and then this morning, left a note that said we had to be out of the house by the end of the week."

"What the fuck? Where are you supposed to live? What about all your shit? What about your siblings? Like, what-

"If I knew the answers to those questions, don't you think I would be in a much better mood?" she snapped.

Puck winced and Rachel took a deep breath.

"Sorry. It's been a long morning."

"Don't sweat it. I wish I could do something to help. I feel like all I'm doing is standing on the sidelines and I hate that feeling."

"It's okay. No one's blaming you."

At that point, Sue walked up to them and grabbed Rachel by the back of her hoodie. Rachel willingly let herself be dragged down the hall while Puck shut her locker and jogged behind them. Sue practically threw Rachel into her office and Puck slid in just before the door closed. He tossed his apple into the trashcan. Sue glared at him momentarily but didn't kick him out. Inside the office was LJ and Tori, both who avoided looking at Rachel.

Sue slammed her palms down on the table and the three Berry siblings jumped.

"You three need to get it together. All three of you have made it very hard to keep you from being suspended. I can only do so much. I already lost Santana to bureaucracy, don't make me lose either one of you as well. Plus, Rachel, if you haven't forgotten, you're on thin ice and I have no authority to keep you from being expelled or worse, sent to prison because the judge feels like you haven't learned anything. That new case Simmons was talking about? It's true. They're seriously considering re-opening it, and once they do, there will be nothing I can do for you."

Rachel swallowed and looked down. No one replied. Sue slammed her palms again and looked at the three of them with so much anger that even Puck felt like crawling under a rock.

"Stop moping around! Jesus. Yes, this is happening, but accept it and help your father bounce back. He needs you guys to be strong, not temperamental children. He is literally fighting to keep what is left of his family together. LJ and Tori, yes, you are biologically his children, but he practically raised Rachel as his own."

"What do you mean?" LJ asked.

Sue sighed and sat down. "Leroy called me an hour ago, crying. Apparently, Hiram's changed his mind," she said.

"About what?"

"Rachel. He wants sole custody."

"Hell no!" Tori exclaimed. "Not after that shit! No fucking way!"

Rachel stared at the table. She could only hear muffled voices. A hand landed on her shoulder and she shrugged it off. She got up from her seat and paced the small room.

"I'm eighteen," she said, her voice blank of emotion.

"That's what I said, but Leroy cried harder. He said Hiram threatened to take you regardless."

Rachel shook her head. "No. No way. I can't- I can't-

She started to hyperventilate. Puck wrapped his arms around her and held on tight. "Come on, Berry. Don't break down now. You can't afford to lose your head over this. I don't care what the courts say or that crazy ass Dad of yours says. I'm not letting you go without a fight. And I'm sure San and Q won't let it happen either," he said.

It took ten minutes for Rachel to calm down. Once she did, Puck loosened his grip, but didn't let go. Sue put her head in her hands and sighed.

"I'm sorry for the way I spoke to you earlier. I saw the three of you falling apart and I knew you needed to pull it together. You have to be strong for each other and for your Dad, okay? He needs you guys," she said.

"And we're sorry for making things so hard for you today," Tori said.

"We're just scared," LJ said. "We don't know what'll happen next."

At that, Rachel slid out of Puck's grasp and went to her siblings. They all hugged, and Puck went back to his spot against the wall. He watched Sue as she watched the siblings, and Puck saw what she was trying to hide. She was scared, it was hidden well by hurt, but she was scared. He ground his teeth. He meant what he said.

He wasn't letting Rachel go anywhere without a fight.

* * *

Santana bustled around the kitchen, bored out of her mind, but she was glad that she had the place to herself. Her father left before she got out of bed, and thankfully, the pain in her chest was gone. It was weird. She put the dishes from her breakfast in the sink. Just as she started to wash them, there was a knock on her door. Wiping her hands with a nearby towel, Santana shuffled to the door and opened it slightly.

It was Leroy.

"H-hey, do you mind if I come in?" he asked nervously.

Santana nodded and opened the door wider. Leroy came in and wiped his shoes on the mat before he took them off and placed them by the couch. His eyes were red and puffy, and Santana escorted him to the kitchen.

"Not that I don't mind your company, but I have to say it's kind of weird for you to show up at my house while I'm here alone."

Leroy sniffed and sat down at the counter. "I was out for a walk. I ended up in the neighborhood and thought I'd check in on you," he muttered.

"How'd you know I was even here?" she asked. "Oh. You want some coffee?"

"My children told me you were suspended for the week, and yes please, black."

Santana bobbed her head and poured what was left of the coffee into a mug. She handed it to him and he smiled gratefully.

"Thanks," he sighed. "So, I take it Rachel has already told you?"

"Told me what?"

"About the divorce?" Santana's face told him that she hadn't talked to Rachel, and he winced. "Oh. Sorry," he added.

"No, no, don't apologize to me," she said. "This is- I'm so, so sorry."

He waved off her apologies. "That's, thank you, but that's not why I brought it up. I wanted to talk to you about something," he said. "Ask you for a favor."

Santana looked at him and leaned down on the table. "Hit me, Papa Berry. What can I do for you?" she asked.

"I know about your other job," he said.

Santana narrowed her eyes at him. "What job?"

"The one your mother helped you get," he said. "And I need your help."

Santana cocked her head and pursed her lips. She studied him for a moment before she stood up straight. She crooked her finger and left the kitchen. Leroy stood up and followed Santana into the basement, leaving a hot mug of coffee steaming on the island while the sound of the basement door being locked echoed through the otherwise empty home.

* * *

Quinn walked slowly down the street towards her house. She still wasn't able to go to school, the pain in her ribs still tender, but she was prepared to go back the next day. She kind of missed it. As she made her way home for more clothes, a cop car pulled up beside her. She nearly tripped when she recognized the driver.

Simmons.

He grinned at her and wiggled his fingers as he rolled down the window.

"Hello, Quinnie," he said.

"Don't call me that."

"Touchy, touchy."

"What do you want?"

"Just to warn you. I wouldn't get so close to the Berry family right now," he said. "They're caught up in the wrong thing."

Quinn ignored him. She saw her mother speed walking down the side walk, a look of anger on her face, and a part of Quinn relaxed. Judy got closer and she gently grabbed Quinn's arm.

"Stay away from us," Judy hissed.

"That's a Texas sized 10-4 good sis," he teased.

Simmons rolled up the window and sped off. Judy took a deep breath and turned around, searching Quinn for any other injuries.

"I'm fine," Quinn said, removing her arm from her grip.

"Right. Of course."

Quinn rolled her eyes and walked off. Her mother easily caught up with her in those heels. Then again, Quinn wasn't walking that fast.

"Where's your friend?" she asked.

"What do you want?"

"Your father-

"Oh, God. Not again. This is why I didn't come back. You-

Judy nudged her gently and whispered, "You should've stayed with Sue."

"How did you know I was with her?"

"I know the people of this town. Your options were limited."

Quinn narrowed her eyes on her mother and asked, "Why should I have stayed there?"

"Because your father would have never thought to look there. But now that you're here, well. There's a service tonight."

"No way. I'm not going."

Judy said nothing as they arrived at the Fabray house. Quinn's anger flared at the sight of her father.

"Where have you been?."

"Just a walk, sweetheart," Judy said, her voice strained.

"Go shower and get dressed. We have somewhere to be within the hour. And yes, Quinn, you are coming with us this time. No more too sick or too tired. You both must be there."

Judy's flinch was well-hidden, but Quinn saw it. She was looking for it. She turned back to her father and gave him a tight smile. She had no interest in being beaten again for not obeying.

"Is there anything specific you want me to wear?" she gritted out.

"I've already placed an outfit for you on your bed. Now go. I'm leaving at six and I expect you two to be ready by five-thirty."

Quinn nodded and her mother nodded, and walked into the house. Quinn mentally wished she could run away, but it wouldn't do any good. She was caught.


	22. Chapter 22

**Mistakes are mine.**

**RCV**

* * *

Sue and Emma had a fight, a rare one, and she needed to separate herself so she can figure out why the fight even occurred. Maybe it was all the tension happening around them. Maybe it was because she was aching for children she had only cared about from a distance and was now thrust into their lives. Maybe it was because she felt helpless and took it out on Emma who was only trying to help.

Sue pulled into a nearby parking lot, unaware and uncaring of where she was, and she dropped her head against the steering wheel. She was getting too old for the runaround and the conflicts and the arguments. She was tired, which is why when she met Emma, that had all changed. Emma was the best thing to happen to her in a long time, and she was ruining it by doing the same shit she was doing with her other exes.

She-

A knock on her window broke her out of her musings and she looked up, coming face to face with none other than Finn Hudson. His tie was crooked, and his suit was wrinkled, but he looked better than he did on a regular day.

"Coach? What are you doing here?"

Sue blinked and looked around. She had pulled into a church parking lot. Not just any church, Russell Fabray's church, and she wasn't the only car there. She groaned and turned off the car before she got out.

Finn shifted side to side and gestured to the church with his head. "Um, so, you here for the ceremony?" he asked hesitantly.

Sue wanted to ask what he meant by that, but behind Finn, she caught sight of Quinn trudging along behind her parents with a solemn look on her face. She was wearing a long white dress that brushed the ground as she walked with a crown of flowers on her head. Sue immediately knew something was wrong. Finn followed her line of sight and he groaned.

"Damn. I was hoping she would stay hidden long enough to avoid this," he said.

"Avoid what?"

Finn stiffened and looked around. He dropped his head and whispered, "Come inside, and you'll see."

Sue had her red flags, alarms, and warning bells going off at full volume. She pulled out her phone and acted like she was getting a call.

"I have to take this," she lied. "I forgot I had a plumber coming to the house and I need to tell him where to go."

Finn nodded. "Sure. I'll save you a seat," he said.

Sue could easily read he was nervous and trying to play along. She sighed and nodded.

"That would be nice."

Finn bobbed his head and walked off. Emma quickly dialed Emma's number, looked around to make sure no one was going to sneak up on her, and when her girlfriend picked up, she gave her no time to speak.

"Something weird is going down at the church on Hampton. I have a bad feeling about it. Quinn's here, looking like some cult wife, and Finn is here and he's nervous as hell. I'm going inside just in case. I'm really, really sorry about earlier. You were only trying to help and I was being an idiot, but I'm an idiot who loves you with everything I am. If you don't hear from me in two hours, then call Leroy. And tell him I'm sorry too."

Sue quickly hung up the phone and walked to the church. She managed to catch up with Finn, and she clapped him on the shoulder. The two made their way inside. Sue, in the back of her mind, knew she was walking into the lion's den, and she knew that if she didn't call or text Emma in one hour, fifty-nine minutes, and thirty seconds, the members of this church will have a fiery, redheaded bombshell of an awakening.

* * *

Emma stared at her phone with a myriad of emotions going across her face. For a moment, she wanted to call back and scream at her girlfriend for being so reckless, but then she thought about it logically. Sue knew it was a bad idea going into the church, but Emma knew that Sue's heart bled for those kids, and she would do anything to protect them. Unfortunately, Emma was impatient.

Emma snatched her coat off the rack and the only keys left in the bowl. She dialed Leroy's number as she left the house, making sure to triple lock it in case someone got any ideas.

_Emma? I was just about to call you. Are you and Sue free tonight for-_

"Sue might be in trouble," she interrupted.

He went silent for a moment.

_Come to the Lopez residence._

Emma frowned. "Why are you there?"

_Tell you later._

The call dropped and Emma paused before she got close to the car. She groaned when she realized it was Sue's car sitting in the driveway.

"Dammit, Sue. You-

Emma paused and cocked her head. Her beloved girlfriend was a stickler for safety and for protection, and Emma knew that Sue had little safety measures in place when it came to her car. Specifically, a mirror under the carriage. It was hidden, and if you knew where to look, you could see it. She glanced down at the spot where she knew the mirror was tucked into the back tire, and that's when she saw it. Emma took slow steps back until she was down the street and hidden behind a pole. Her fingers trembled as she pressed the start button on Sue's key and heard the engine come to life.

Seconds later, a massive explosion shook the front of her house. Her windows blew out, but thankfully, that was the extent of the damage. Emma's heart leaped into her throat. She took off at a dead sprint through the back streets of her neighborhood towards the Lopez residence. The streets blurred for her as the realization settled in that had Sue not taken Emma's car that evening-

Emma skidded to a stop and glanced behind her, a billowing smoke cloud not even three blocks away. Part of her wanted to turn around and go to the church, drag her girlfriend out by the hair if need be, but she knew she had to get help. Emma swiped at her face and kept running towards her only hope at saving Sue.

* * *

Santana closed the basement door behind her and locked it just as fists started pounding onto her front door. She already knew who it was, but she was not expecting to see her so disheveled.

"Whoa, Miss E, what happened?" Santana asked, ushering Emma inside.

"S-someone…car…Sue…bomb…fire," Emma stammered.

Santana gladly stepped out of the way when came over. He wrapped his arms around Emma and held her, rocking her side to side until the woman was calmer.

"Okay, take deep breaths, and tell us what happened?" he prodded gently.

"S-Sue and I had a fight and she left the house. She just called me and said she's at that church on Hampton. I was," Emma paused and sniffed, "I was about to get in the car when I realized she'd taken my car and left me with hers. Sue is paranoid about certain things and she taught me how to look out for trouble. Someone put a bomb under her car and she's at that church all alone and-

"We're going there. Now," Santana interrupted.

"Now hold on a minute," Leroy said.

"No. Not a chance. Sue is like my- she's like my- dammit! You know what Sue is to me and it sounds like someone's coming after her. We're going to that church!" Santana exclaimed.

Emma paced the foyer and wrung her fingers together.

"That's the thing," she said softly. "It might not just be Sue that's in trouble."

Santana and Leroy frowned.

"Who else is in trouble?" he asked.

Emma glanced at Leroy meaningfully, and Leroy sighed.

"Oh no."

Santana looked between the two of them in confusion. "Oh no what" she asked.

"She should've never gone in there alone."

"Why? What's going on?" Santana asked.

"It wasn't by choice," Emma said. "She has a bleeding heart and you know she wouldn't have waited for answers. Not with that."

"Not with what?" Santana asked louder.

"And she doesn't know about the bomb, I'm assuming?" Leroy sighed.

"I came straight here and-

"GODDAMIT! SOMEBODY TELL ME WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON!" Santana shouted.

Leroy turned around to face her directly. "Think about it, Santana," he said. "If Sue is at Russell's church, why would she willingly walk into such a dangerous environment? Who there would cause Sue to make such an impulsive decision like that?"

Santana threw her hands into the air. "How the hell am I supposed to know? Can you just tell me?" she whined.

Leroy sighed and Emma came up to Santana, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"It's Russell's church, San. Think about it," she said slowly.

Leroy knew what was coming before Emma. He bear-hugged Santana to his chest just as she made a move for the door. She punched and smacked at him, but he refused to put her down.

"Put me down!" she screamed.

"I raised Rachel Berry, Santana. It's going to take a lot more than a couple of punches for that to happen," he grunted. "You cannot and will not go running off to that church like that."

"Why not?"

"Because it is too dangerous!"

"Fuck you! You don't care about them like I do!"

Leroy picked Santana off the ground and carried her into the living room with Emma behind them. He gently tossed Santana onto the couch and Emma quickly gathered the girl into her arms. He knelt in front of Santana and pointed at her.

"You will not speak to me in that manner. I am not your father, but based on Antonio's track record, I know you've been a little lacking in that department so you might not understand how it works anymore. So listen to me very carefully, I never said we weren't going to go after Sue and Quinn, but we will not go in that church guns blazing. That is not the type of place for something like that. Take a deep breath, and let's work this out logically."

Santana stared at him for a long moment. Leroy met her gaze evenly and she lunged forward. He caught her with ease as Rachel had a bad habit of tackling him during her more 'emotional' outbursts as a child, and Santana cried into his shirt. He rubbed her back.

"I'm sorry I was so harsh with you. That isn't my place," he said.

"It's okay," she muttered.

Santana shifted and plopped down on the floor next to him. He hesitantly pulled her into a side hug, and she laid her head on his shoulder.

"I can't let anything happen to Sue or Quinn. They're the only family I have," she said. Santana played with her fingers before she added in an almost whisper, "Well, they were the only family that I had."

Leroy risked a punch to the stomach when he kissed the top of her head. When nothing happened, he said, "I'm not your father, but I've watched you grow into a beautiful young woman with a big heart. If you ever need someone to talk to, you can always come to me."

Santana nodded and wiped at her face. She coughed and moved out of Leroy's reach, climbing to her feet. Leroy knew an emotional subject change better than anyone, and he gladly let her take control of the situation.

"Okay, so how do we do this? What's the first step?"

"First, despite every bone in my body telling me otherwise, we have to call Puck and my children," Leroy said.

* * *

Sue settled into the back row while Finn reluctantly walked to the front. She memorized every face, every detail and straightened when she saw Quinn and Brittany near the front. Brittany looked excited while Quinn seemed resigned. The lights dimmed, much to Sue's relief, and she made sure her phone was on silent as a man she only saw in passing took place behind the podium.

"Welcome! Tonight, we have something very special planned for you!"

A boulder dropped into Sue's stomach as the spotlight shone on Quinn, Finn, Brittany, and several other McKinley high students.

"Tonight is the night these young soldiers have been waiting for." The man raised his arms and shouted, "Let the purification ceremony begin!"

"…shit," Sue whispered.


	23. Chapter 23

**Character Death.**

**Mistakes are mine and there might be many.**

**-RCV**

* * *

LJ glanced at them as if they were insane.

"Let me see if I have this correct," he said. "Not only is someone trying to kill Sue but that someone might be in the same location as Sue at this very moment. That location is a weird cult-like church in the middle of downtown where Quinn has been roped into some type of ceremony? Did I miss anything?"

"I think that's it, though it would be nice to know why Dad was over here in the first place," Tori said pointedly.

"Handling my business," Leroy sighed.

"If you say so," Tori added. "I'm not trying to pry, just trying to make sure I have my story straight when the police show up asking why a fifty-

"HEY!"

"-year old bisexual man is hanging out with an eighteen year old lesbian while her absent father is at work," Tori finished.

LJ pinched his sister on the hip and said, "Stop it."

Tori held up her hands and plopped down on the couch next to Rachel, who then punched Tori in the arm.

"What the fuck was that for!"

"For trying to get a rise out of Dad so he can tell us his secrets," Rachel scolded.

Tori rubbed at her arm. "No need for violence," she grumbled.

"Can we please focus here?" Santana said. "Quinn might be in trouble and you're so worried about why your father was here. That's literally the least important thing right now I can assure you."

Tori narrowed her eyes but said nothing.

"We have to go to that church," Emma said softly.

Everyone turned to glance at her standing by the window. She had fresh tears pouring down her cheeks and her hands clasped over her chest.

"We can't stand here arguing and speculating. We should just go there and see what's happening for ourselves," she added.

"That's a big chance we would be taking," LJ said.

"Who cares? I'm with Emma."

The group faced Puck who was leaning against the wall on the other side of the room. The scar on his head matched with the look in his eyes gave Rachel the chills. He was a different person after the attack, and no matter how hard she pushes, he refuses to tell her who it was. But Rachel had an idea, and she was afraid of what that meant for Puck in the future.

"Same. I'm with Red and Jewish James Dean over there," Tori said.

Puck shot Tori a look and she met his stare evenly. Puck broke first but only because Santana called his name.

"You sure you want to go in there? After what they did to you?" she asked.

Puck visibly ground his teeth. "They ain't do it, I keep telling y'all that!" he exclaimed. "Now stop fucking mentioning it."

Santana rolled her eyes, but Rachel could see his comment bothered her. Emma moved away from the window and headed towards the front door. Leroy immediately put his hand on the door and got in her way.

"You cannot just go there with no plan," he said.

"Then come up with one on the way because I am not waiting anymore," she hissed.

Leroy sighed and glanced around the room. LJ and Tori were already grabbing their jackets while Santana was rifling through a drawer in the back. He saw her take out a gun, but she gave him a dark look when he opened his mouth to say something. Santana started to tuck the gun into the waistband of her pants, but Puck grabbed it from her.

"Hey-

"They catch you with a weapon that's a case, San," he said sharply.

"You too!"

"Who do you think would last longer in prison?" he deadpanned.

She folded her arms against her chest and dropped the conversation. Puck walked over to the couch and pulled Rachel up.

"You in?" he asked.

"Yes," she said.

"Rachel!" Leroy exclaimed

"It's Quinn, Dad," Rachel sighed.

Leroy was outnumbered. He moved out of the way and Emma gave him a sharp nod before she opened the door. Tori stole Santana's keys from her pocket, a bad habit she picked up as a child, and Tori rushed after Emma.

"I'm driving!" she screamed.

"You don't even know-

Tori was gone. Leroy turned to Santana and winced.

"I am so sorry," he said.

"Don't worry about it, but please tell me you know something might be severely wrong with your child," Santana said.

"We had her tested. The test results were inconclusive," he sighed.

"Which is code for insane," LJ chimed in.

Tori spun around suddenly, and the group took a step back as she fixed them with a cold smile.

"I can hear you. For the people who sleep under the same roof as me, I would be very careful what you say about me behind my back," she warned.

Tori turned back to the car. Rachel came up to the group and whispered, "You guys are in trouble."

"I'm always in trouble," LJ whispered back.

"Scaredy-cats," Santana said.

Rachel and LJ looked back at her and said in unison, "Spend the night with us."

"Don't ever do that again," Santana said.

"Least Tori wasn't with them. Now that is creepy," Leroy said.

A car horn honked impatiently and the group hurried to the respective cars.

* * *

Sue bounced her leg and chewed on her lip as another child was "baptized." It was obvious the only people enjoying it were the ushers and the preacher. After the fourth teen went under, the crowd became restless. The massive tub in the center of the stage was filled with water and based on the way the teens screamed out told her it was hotter than it needed to be. She saw the looks on some of the parent's faces, how the mothers hid in their husband's necks or how siblings cried in unison with their brother or sister. Each teen came out of that water bright red and whimpering so loud Sue could hear it all the way in the back.

It was horrible.

The line moved and Sue had tears in her eyes as Finn stepped forward. He looked out into the audience, and whatever he saw had him changing his mind.

"I'm not doing this," he said.

The preacher frowned.

"Pardon?"

"I'm not doing this," Finn repeated.

The ushers stepped forward and started to physically drag Finn to the tub.

"NO! LET ME GO!" he screamed.

"Shush, my son. It will be over soon," the preacher soothed.

The preacher gave someone in the background a look and one of the ushers took a cane to the back of Finn's knees. Sue saw Quinn step into the light but was held back immediately by a familiar looking Cheerio. Finn went down hard, and they held him over the tub. Unlike the others, they dunked him headfirst. They held him down, even as Finn flailed on the floor. She heard Finn's mother yell and jump up from a nearby pew, but Burt kept her from going far. Finn rose from the water sputtering, gasping, but they pushed him back down.

Sue couldn't do it anymore. She stood up and shouted, "LET HIM GO!"

Silence fell in the sanctuary. The entire congregation turned and looked at her. She only had eyes for Finn. He was sobbing and calling out for his mother. Sue walked into the middle of the aisles and pointed at the preacher.

"You are no man of God. You are a fraud for what you are doing to these children!"

"How dare you! Bring her to me."

The ushers moved in unison, but she stood strong. Two grabbed her by the arms and led her to the stage. Sue kept a brave face, even in the presence of someone she classified as pure evil.

"You should be rejoicing in what we are doing. We are preparing the next generation for battle, for War. All you are doing is interfering with what is destined to happen."

"The only thing you're doing is torturing a bunch of children and convincing their parents that this is the best and only way for what you deem as 'purification'. You're nothing but a racist and bigoted prick with a delusional idea of the world."

The preacher grabbed a cane from one of the ushers and raised it above his head. Sue had no idea where he was aiming, what he planned, but she closed her eyes and accepted whichever.

* * *

As soon as they walked through the door, things happened so very fast. Santana had never seen Emma move that fast. When they saw Sue on that stage, preacher with a cane aimed for her head, Emma was a red blur of fury. Santana and Puck were right behind her. Emma flew up the stairs while Puck and Santana took care of the ushers. She tackled Sue as the cane came down. The two tumbled to the floor and that sent the entire crowd into a frenzy. Parents rushed the stage and grabbed their teens. Ushers were overpowered. The preacher was lost, angry, and stared at the crowd with disgust. Rachel looked on the stage and saw Finn, bright red and still crying, and she vanished into the crowd. Santana saw her, but she also caught sight of a familiar head of blonde hair in the distance.

"Quinn!" she called out.

The girl ran towards her. Santana caught Quinn mid-jump and spun her around. Their celebration was short-lived as a yell echoed through the sanctuary. All action stopped. Santana and Quinn both froze as they looked to the stage. The preacher had Rachel by the neck with a gun to her head.

"Where the hell did he get a gun?" LJ hissed to Tori.

"Rachel!" Leroy shouted.

"Be quiet!" the preacher said.

Rachel pulled at the arm constricting her neck, but the preacher tightened his grip.

"Everyone, sit down," he said.

Some remained standing. Others immediately sat down. Puck silently moved in the shadows. Finn knelt behind the preacher. He and Puck met eyes. Finn nodded, Puck hesitated, but nodded as well. The preacher was foaming at the mouth in anger. Unfortunately, someone got bold, and ran. But instead of running to the preacher, they ran to the door. That sparked a stampede. Crowds sprinted to the door, and Santana held Quinn close to avoid being ran over. While the crowds departed, Puck stormed the stage, gun aimed at the preacher. Finn came from behind. The distraction worked, and Rachel went flying forward as the preacher pushed her out of the way. She crashed into the podium and barely managed to get a piece of wood stuck in her chest.

A shot rang out, and Rachel covered her ears. Another shot ran out, and she risked turning around. All she could see was Finn falling. He dropped to his knees. Puck rushed to catch him, and Rachel was frozen to the spot. Finn met her eyes and he smiled sadly.

"I'm sorry," he mouthed.

Rachel moved into action. She scrambled forward and put her hands on the stomach wound.

"Finn," she said. "Don't you dare. You're going to be okay."

There were footsteps. She didn't need to turn around to know that it was her growing family. Rachel pressed harder on the wound. She glanced over her shoulder and saw Santana staring at Finn with haunted eyes. When Rachel looked back, she saw Finn staring at Santana. Something passed between them, and Finn gave another pained smile.

"Forgive me," he whispered.

Santana gave a short nod, tears streaming down her face. Finn gave a strangled sob and closed his eyes. Puck shook Finn's shoulder.

"Hey, man, open your eyes," he said. "Finn!"

Puck kept shaking him. Rachel could feel his chest rise once, and when it fell, it didn't rise again. She wrapped her arms around Puck. He tried pushing her off but she held on.

"He's gone," she said in his ear. "He's gone."

Finn's mother and step-father stepped forward. Rachel got Puck to his feet and they took a step away from the body. Carole's sob was heart-wrenching. In the back of her mind, Rachel wondered where Kurt was in all of this. She brushed the thought aside and moved to stand with her family. Emma was holding Sue as the woman cried. LJ and Tori stood with Leroy a little further away. Rachel looked down at the blood on her hands and she stared at them. Flashes of the night with Issacs went through her mind. She trembled and pushed off Puck.

"Rae?" LJ called out.

She ignored him. She walked off the stage and out of the church.

* * *

Santana and Quinn looked at one another before they followed Rachel out of the church. Behind them, Puck smashed the remnants of the podium. He screamed and screamed and screamed until his voice went out. As they walked out of the church, they found Rachel in the parking lot, staring at the sky. They came up on both sides and despite the blood, they grabbed her hands. They stood there in silence.

No one could believe it.

Finn was…dead.


	24. Chapter 24

**There are probably mistakes in this. It was a hard chapter to write. Feel free to point them out to me and I will correct them as soon as I can. **

**Thanks you guys!**

**Songs are:**

** H.O.L.Y. - Florida Georgia Line**

**In Case You Didn't Know - Brett Young**

**TM**

* * *

It was early on a Saturday morning; a cloudless, blue and orange sky that would have been picturesque on any other day.

A brown casket parted the sea of black with ease. Leading the processional was his mother, hands clasped in front of her stomach, and beside her was his stepbrother and stepfather. Behind them, the football team in Letterman jackets cheering their captain in silence as they marched with their heads down and silent tears openly flowing down their faces. The Cheerios followed shortly after. The biggest shock to some was seeing the Unholy Trinity together for the first time in months. Quinn wore a long black dress with her hair loosely curled while Santana dressed in a black suit, her hair tied back away from her face. Brittany was the only one in full uniform, tight, high ponytail and all.

To some, it was the perfect show of unity. To others, it was just another example of death bringing together those who had been apart.

They were there for Finn.

No matter the anger Santana.

No matter the disgust.

No matter the pain.

It was all for him that day.

Students, teachers, coaches, and friends walked the procession down the cemetery path.

But there were some who decided to watch from a distance and mourn in their own way.

* * *

Next to a mausoleum, in perfect view of the procession, sat Puck and Rachel. It was just them. Rachel had stopped crying a long time ago. Her eyes were swollen from the number of tears she'd shed over the last few days. Finn may not have been the love of her life, but he was the first boy she loved at McKinley. He was always that lumbering oaf that seemed to do more harm than good, but his soul was almost always pure. He made his mistakes, some worse than others, but he wasn't a bad guy. Rachel leaned her head on Puck's shoulders and sniffed, wrapping a scarf around her face and neck so she wouldn't get sick.

Puck shifted and blew smoke upward instead of to the side as he'd been doing to avoid blowing it at Rachel. There were at least four cigarette butts surrounding his boots, but Rachel said nothing about it. He hadn't cried. He didn't speak. He smoked. It was a thing he and Finn shared in secret. Everyone knew Puck smoked, but no one knew Finn did, and it was a secret Puck would take to the grave for his friend. His brother.

An hour passed, neither one saying a word as the processional grew smaller and smaller, and as the afternoon went on, Rachel remained on Puck's shoulder, wide awake. Both had their eyes cast to the sky, watching birds fly overhead, and the silence was almost peaceful. It was broken by the sounds of leaves crunching behind them, and Puck turned to the side as Quinn and Santana came around to the front. They settled down in front of them, and for a moment, the four friends just looked at one another, trying to see what could possibly come next.

What do you say to each other when you lose someone you hated but loved at some point in time?

What do you say to his ex-girlfriend?

What do you say to his tormentor-turned-friend-turned-enemy?

What do you say to his best friend since elementary school?

What do you say to the one that was never his, but loved him all the same?

Nothing. Which is what they did.

After several long moments, they agreed to sit there in each other's company. Eventually, they moved so they were all touching each other in some way. Quinn stretched out with her head in Santana's lap. Puck laid down and placed his head on Quinn's stomach. Rachel laid on Puck's chest with Santana's head resting on her thighs and that's how they stayed.

In the silence, each one remembered and regretted the last things they ever said to Finn, coping with the fact they'll never be able to make it up to him.

* * *

_The Next Monday..._

Sue sighed as she walked the halls after the final club had dismissed. The place was empty. The vigils were gone, only dried flowers remained, and it seemed the school had worked its way back into some sense of normalcy while simultaneous adjusting to the new changes. Santana came back to school and immediately resigned from the team. Quinn followed. Sue saw it coming and accepted their resignation easily. Brittany was in control of the Cheerios and doing her best Quinn impression. Puck and Rachel, along with LJ and Tori, labeled themselves the untouchables. It seemed as if even the Glee Club had reigned it in a little. Mr. Schue was avoiding the students like the plague. All in all, things were falling into place and falling out of place as well.

Sue turned the corner and had to put her reflexes to good use to avoid knocking Santana to the ground.

"Sorry," Santana said, taking a step back. "I was lost in my head."

"No harm done," Sue said. She then looked at the clock and back at Santana. "Although, I am curious as to why you're here so late? I thought you were going out to dinner with Puck and the Berry brigade."

Santana chewed on her lip and said, "I was getting in some extra reps at the gym."

"Try again."

"What? How-

"You always chew your bottom lip before you lie. It's a well-known fact that we let you get away with on occasion. Now, why are you really here?"

Santana looked down and tucked her hair behind her ear. "Quinn and I wanted to do something special for Rachel. With everything that's been going on, we somewhat forgot about our promise that we were genuine about our feelings for her."

Sue's eyes widened. That wasn't at all what she was expecting. "I see. Do you, uh, do you need any help?" she asked.

"I don't think so. Honestly, it's nothing extravagant, just special."

"And this is for tomorrow?"

"No, Wednesday."

"You're going to serenade her, aren't you?"

Santana nodded. "It won't be obnoxious like the Broadway rejects. It'll be me and Quinn or us by ourselves publicly declaring our love for Rachel in hopes that she knows we're being serious. It's really challenging because she's changed a lot, but we can see she's still the same girl we fell in love with. She's the best part of our day and-" Santana stopped and cleared her throat. "You get the point," she mumbled.

Sue patted Santana on the shoulder and said, "You'll be fine. Just be open and honest. Word of advice for you and Quinn, Rachel loves you too, but she needs to know that there's room for her in something that's already been established. Once you do that, then you can work on loving her separately and as a union. This is going to the hardest, easiest thing you've probably ever done in your life. They are two different people with similar interests, and you'll learn that what one appreciates, the other doesn't. Spend the early parts learning their love languages as a single partner and also as a trio. I have faith in you three. Out of everyone she's ever met, you two are the ones that make it work."

Sue could see Santana was distracted again, and she gently pushed her in the direction of the exit. She needed to set the alarm and didn't want to Santana being so caught up in her head she got locked in the school overnight.

* * *

_Wednesday_

LJ dragged Rachel to the front row in the auditorium, specifically, the seat with one white rose on the armrest. She picked it up, looked at him in confusion, and he shrugged.

"I'm only doing what I was told. Now sit down," he said.

Rachel hesitantly sat down in the seat and LJ vanished. Puck walked out on the stage. He had on a cowboy hat and a pair of jeans with boots. He winked at her and started strumming the guitar in his hands. Rachel bit back a groan, but stopped when she recognized the song. She sat up in her seat and narrowed her eyes, but Puck refused to give anything away.

_When the sun had left and the winter came_  
_And the sky fall could only bring the rain_  
_I sat in darkness, all broken-hearted_  
_I couldn't find a day I didn't feel alone_  
_I never meant to cry, started losing hope_  
_But somehow baby, you broke through and saved me_

Rachel couldn't breathe. She knew that voice. Sure enough, Quinn came out from behind Puck and snatched the hat from his head. Rachel inhaled what she could and tried not to show too much emotion. She knew Quinn hated country, but Rachel loved it, and she picked a song that Rachel spent hours listening to. It was one of her favorites. Part of her questioned how she knew it, but it didn't matter. She smiled and held the rose close as Quinn continued.

_You're an angel, tell me you're never leaving_  
_'Cause you're the first thing I know I can believe in_

_You're holy, holy, holy, holy_  
_I'm high on loving you, high on loving you_  
_You're holy, holy, holy, holy_  
_I'm high on loving you, high on loving you_

Rachel felt tears prick at the corner of her eyes and took her bottom lip between her teeth. She wasn't going to cry. Not yet. Quinn's voice got louder with the next verse, and Rachel could feel parts of her melting away.

_You made the brightest days from the darkest nights_  
_You're the river bank where I was baptized_  
_Cleanse all the demons_  
_That were killing my freedom_  
_Let me lay you down, give me to ya_  
_Get you singing babe, hallelujah_  
_We'll be touching, we'll be touching heaven_

Rachel laughed a little, but she couldn't stop the tears from falling. Quinn jumped down from the stage. She held up her hand, and Puck stopped playing. She knelt in front of Rachel and sang the last part with more emotion than Rachel was expecting.

_I don't need the stars 'cause you shine for me_  
_Like fire in my veins, you're my ecstasy_  
_You're my ecstasy_

_You're holy, holy, holy, holy_  
_I'm high on loving you, high on loving you_  
_You're holy, holy, holy, holy_  
_I'm high on loving you, high on loving you_

Quinn stopped singing and leaned forward. She kissed Rachel on the cheek and hopped back on the stage. Rachel's smile fell as Quinn pretty much ran to the back and Puck merely bowed at the waist before he followed after her. She sat there in the dark, torn between swooning and screaming in frustration, and jumped when LJ approached her from the side. He took one look at her and snorted.

"I told Tori to make sure you had a tissue, but she seemed to think you wouldn't cry. Obviously, she doesn't know you well or our sister has a heart made of solid rock, not ice."

"What?"

"Just come on, we're going to be late for class."

Rachel let LJ pull her out of the seat and drag her out of the auditorium. Rachel looked down at the rose in her hand and wondered if that was the only surprise of her day.

* * *

Rachel couldn't help but feel like Tori and Puck were avoiding her. When she saw them, they would turn the other way. She hadn't seen Quinn since that morning, and she hadn't seen Santana at all. She was going crazy. Mercedes and the others, however, had bothered her from the moment she stepped into the hallway. She had to duck them as much as Puck and Tori were ducking her. She kept her head down, and let the crowds die off before she made her way to her last class of the day.

At least that was the plan.

Hands grabbed her by the waist from behind and a cloth went over her eyes. She didn't scream, only because she recognized the voice from the lips pressed against her ear.

"It's just us," Santana whispered.

From the other side, she heard Quinn as she said, "Do you trust us?"

Rachel felt something that wasn't exactly trust bubbling in her stomach, but she nodded yes. She let them lead the way. While they walked, she heard the same guitar from earlier, but it was playing another song she knew word for word, chord for chord, and in every way possible. Her heart jumped into her throat while her stomach flipped so many times that she got nauseous. As she got closer, she heard also heard a piano, and that cemented what she already knew. Tori. Tori was the one who knew Rachel loved the song, and Tori was the one who learned it for her. Whether she sang or not. It was Rachel's song, and she was already in tears hearing it.

"Are you crying?" Quinn asked.

"We haven't even done anything yet," Santana teased.

"Shut up," Rachel huffed.

The hands on her waist guided her down and she landed on a bench of sorts. Seconds later, she felt the cloth being removed. When her eyes adjusted, she froze. They were in the choir room. LJ stood guard at the door while Sue stood guard at the other. Tori sat on a chair in front of the piano as she played while Puck leaned against the wall.

"What is this?" Rachel asked.

Quinn and Santana stood in front of her.

"We know how much this family, both blood and otherwise, means to you now. At first, we were going to do this on our own, but we wanted to show you that we were serious. So we have your brother, your sister, your godmother, and your best friend here to promise with our hearts and minds that we want to be yours," Santana said.

"We love you. Both of us. Equally and deeply. It has been a rough couple of weeks, and we realized that after our confession, we never doubled down on it. So that's what we decided to do," Quinn said.

Rachel felt like a blubbering idiot, but she pulled it together as she asked, "You did all of this? Both of you?"

"No," Quinn said, sheepishly. "This was actually all Santana. I'm shit with romantic gestures."

"But this morning-

"Was Santana's idea," Quinn admitted. "I meant every word, but I probably would've done something stupid like blurt it out in the hallway or something."

Santana snorted. "Or sent you a text at four in the morning," she added.

Rachel smiled when Quinn pouted, and then she looked at Santana.

"You seriously planned all of this?" she whispered.

"Yes. We're going to prove it by singing, even though we know how much you hate people serenading you."

Puck snorted in the background. Santana and Quinn shifted so that they were both kneeling in front of Rachel. They each grabbed her hand and sang in perfect harmony. Naturally, they changed the lyrics.

_You've got all of us_

_We belong to you_

_Yeah, you're our everything_

Rachel laughed at the lyric change.

_In case you didn't know_

_We're crazy bout you_

_We would be lying if we said_

_That we could live this life without you_

_Even though we don't tell you all the time_

_You had our heart a long long time ago_

_In case you didn't know_

Santana stepped forward first and kissed Rachel on the lips, and Quinn followed shortly after. Rachel was so distracted she missed the others leaving. She knew kissing them would be an experience, but she didn't plan on the type of experience. She was so distracted by them, and them by her, they missed the others leaving. The three sat there through the final bell, and Rachel knew in that moment coming back to Lima was the best idea she'd made in a long time.


	25. Chapter 25

After she, Santana, and Quinn left the school, she told them she would meet them at Emma's house later. They didn't ask any questions, to which she was happy about, and she waited until they pulled out of the lot before she left. She drove in the opposite direction of Emma's house and pulled into a familiar driveway. Technically, she still lived there, but it was a solemn place. She saw the door wide open and figured walking in without announcing herself wouldn't be much of an issue. She stepped inside and wrapped her arms around herself. Hiram had begun to move the furniture, and the place was colder without the carpet and the sofa. It was starting to feel like Hiram was erasing her and Leroy from the house completely. The walls were bare minus a couple of generic paintings. Her movie shelf was standing strong, but it felt like it didn't belong. It was surreal. She took a deep breath and was about to make her way upstairs when she heard someone cough in the kitchen. Part of her hesitated, but she would rather get it over with before it became a thing.

Rachel found herself in the kitchen. She leaned against the door frame as Hiram stood over the sink. There was a half-empty bottle of gin next to him. Her eyes fell to his hands, his knuckles, and Rachel forced down that part of her that cared.

"You plan on standing there all day or you here to get the rest of your shit out of my house?"

"I haven't decided yet."

Hiram snorted and glanced over his shoulder at her.

"You're a real pain in the ass."

"The feeling is mutual."

He spun around and Rachel never flinched as he crossed the room in two steps. Mostly because by the time he took the third, he stumbled and crashed into the island. She stared at him for a long time as he recovered. There was blood on his shirt.

"Looking pretty good there."

"I woke up like this," he grumbled.

"You woke up like that? Seriously?"

"I had a few drinks last night and woke up like this."

"Guess that's what happens when you kick your husband and daughter out of the house, put it on the market, and decide to give up your duties as a father or husband. Kind of pathetic, honestly."

Hiram burped and pointed in her general direction as he tried to stand up straight. Rachel felt a lot of pity at that moment for a man she used to look up to.

"Why are you even here?"

"To get my shit, as you so eloquently put it earlier."

"No, I mean why today, why now? You had to know I would be here."

"I needed time to think. Too much is happening at once and being alone with you is something I know how to navigate."

"Oh right, that old boyfriend of yours died. Heard he took a bullet for you."

Rachel glared at him. "Don't speak on what you don't know," she said sharply.

Hiram smelled blood in the water. Rachel pushed off the door frame and turned on her heels. She had her foot on the first step when Hiram's next words stopped her dead in her tracks.

"Why didn't you pick up the gun?" he asked. "Had a friend who stuck behind on that stage. The gun slid to you before the preacher picked it up. Why didn't you grab it?"

Rachel closed her eyes and lowered her chin to her chest. "Like I said, don't speak on what you don't know," she said softly.

Rachel glanced at Hiram over her shoulder and saw the disappointment and anger in his eyes. It was obvious he wanted her to confess to something, to admit she made a mistake, but Rachel had enough sleepless nights about Finn's death. She wasn't going to give Hiram the satisfaction of having something over her. He already had enough. She walked up the stairs and left him standing in the kitchen.

* * *

Santana walked down the stairs alone. She told Quinn she needed to run home and get some clothes. It wasn't too much of a lie, but it wasn't why she left. She picked up her glasses off the table and shuffled to the room at the back of the basement. Santana pulled her keys out of her pocket and flipped to the silver one painted black. She unlocked the door and disappeared inside. Santana rubbed the back of her neck as she faced the wall of computers. Leroy's financial statements sat off to the side in a folder and she picked it up.

**_Flashback_**

_"I need you to look into my finances. I need to know I can take care of my family without Hiram," he said, taking a seat on the couch behind her._

_Santana shrugged. She didn't ask any questions. She typed something on her computer, her eyes focused on the screen as it loaded._

_"Can I ask you something?"_

_"Is it the same question from last time?"_

_"Yes."_

_Santana sighed and rubbed her forehead. "My answer hasn't changed. I don't want them knowing about this."_

_"Why?"_

_"Because I'm not invincible."_

_"I don't understand."_

_Leroy watched as she typed in a code, her eyes roaming across the screen distractedly, and she rolled her neck and said, "There are things I've done for a quick buck that can come back and bite me in the ass. I want to protect the ones I love. Plus, I like the anonymity."_

_He smiled to himself at Santana's comment and went back to watching her work. She bounced her leg and Leroy couldn't keep up with the number of pages flashing in front of his eyes. Paperwork after paperwork, pages after pages, codes after codes. It was so much that he gave himself a headache just watching, but it was obvious Santana was in her element. He turned and caught sight of a couple of documents with the Mr. Miller's House logo on it. He frowned. _

_"You're researching the Miller House?" he asked._

_"I'm researching Chase," she corrected. "And no, I'm not going to tell you anything until I have it all." _

_"Is...Rachel in danger?" he asked._

_Santana stopped typing. She sighed and said, "We might all be." _

_Leroy swallowed. Santana went back to typing and Leroy stayed quiet. Ten minutes later, Leroy jumped as Santana clapped her hands together._

_"Finished."_

_Leroy blinked as Santana did a little happy dance._

_"With what?" he asked tiredly._

_"I have his money."_

_"Wait, what? What are you talking about?"_

_"I don't have all of it, just a healthy majority of it. I found where he's been holding it and how much he's been hiding from you. Though unlike him, I probably wouldn't have put it all in one spot. Arrogance is one hell of a drug."_

_Leroy shook his head and stood up. "Santana, this is wrong. You shouldn't be-_

_"He's hiding around twenty million dollars from you," Santana interrupted blandly._

_"He's WHAT?!"_

_"Twenty million. Now, has the divorce proceedings began?" she asked._

_"Not yet." _

_"Good. Ask for nothing in the divorce." _

_"Why?"_

_"Because. I can get you way more than whatever you ask for," she said._

_"I don't know," he hesitated. _

_"Look, what do you want me to do? You want me to pretend like I haven't seen this or you want me to take it and put it to good use? You're the one who wants to support your family. With all three, plus college and rent, and a new house, you would be broke in a year without it." _

_Leroy frowned in thought. What bothered him was the fact Hiram was either planning this for a while or he was just being sneaky. Neither option appealed to him. He made his decision._

_"Donate seventy percent to various charities, put ten percent in the account we made for Rachel, and if possible, can you make a private account for Sue and Emma along with LJ and Tori?"_

_"Duh."_

_Leroy nodded. "Then split the rest of that between you, Quinn, and those accounts. Leave nothing."_

_Santana grinned widely. "Cool! Thanks, Mr. B!" she said. "Now, about your other request-_

_"Draw up some adoption papers. I'll be mailing paperwork to my ex in Seattle. I think she would be happy to sign off on having Rachel be officially ours. Hell, she has our last name now, so it wouldn't be much of a difference."_

_"Good to know there's still decent fathers out there in the world," she muttered._

_Leroy glanced down at her and said, "Yours is decent. Just misguided."_

_Santana ignored him and continued working. Leroy sat back down and listed all the charities he wanted the money to go to. If he was going to do something evil, then at least he wanted to make sure some good people benefited from it._

* * *

Quinn stirred the pasta and threw some pepper in the sauce simmering on the stove. She heard her phone ring, cursed, and stretched out to grab it off the island. She answered it without looking, putting it on speakerphone.

"Hello?"

**"C-can you come and get me, p-please?**" she heard her mother whimper.

Quinn paused and put down the spoon. "Judy? What's wrong?" she asked.

**"P-please. I c-can't move, p-please."**

Quinn saw Sue in the corner of her eye but focused on the call.

"Mom, I need you to tell me what's wrong. I can't-

**"T-too far,"** his mother whispered.

"Too far what?"

Sue put on her jacket and LJ came into the kitchen. He glanced at Sue curiously and she jerked her head towards the phone call where there was nothing but silence.

"Momma? You still there?" Quinn asked.

The sound of louder whimpering filled the room. Sue left the kitchen with Quinn and a hesitant LJ, who stopped and turned off the pasta, who followed behind them. No one had an idea of what was happening, but there was obviously something wrong. Quinn couldn't hear anything other than her mother being in pain. No matter the hate she felt towards the woman, she would never wish her harm.

* * *

Sue, Quinn, and LJ arrived at the house on edge. When they walked into the house, they found a trail of glass and blood leading to the kitchen where they found a half-conscious Judy lying in a twisted heap on the floor. Sue knelt beside Judy while Quinn stood frozen in the foyer. LJ was already calling for an ambulance.

"Is she okay?" Quinn whispered.

"Uh," Sue hesitated. "I won't lie to you. It's rough."

"Ambulance is on their way," LJ said.

Sue brushed hair out of Judy's face. The woman's eyes didn't open, but it was obvious she was breathing. Thankfully so.

"What is wrong with this fucked town?" LJ muttered after he hung up with the ambulance.

"Questions no one can answer. Go look out for the ambulance. I'll stay with Judy. Quinn, go get more clothes and anything important. If this was Russell, you don't need to be here. If this was someone else, you still don't need to be here. Whoever this was meant to cause a lot of damage."


	26. Chapter 26

**I am not a medical professional. All of my knowledge comes from Grey's Anatomy.**

**Mistakes are mine!**

**Happy New Year's Eve (and Happy New Years)**

**-RCV**

* * *

_Judy rinsed the blood from her hands and made a disgusted sound as she stared at the remnants of the chicken her beloved husband brought home for dinner. It still had feathers on it in some places, the guts hadn't been properly removed, and it smelled as if he'd run it over six months ago. But she did her due diligence and cleaned it. Her biggest issue was going to be cutting it down so she could fry it as that was the only way her husband would eat it. If Quinn were home-_

_Judy stopped and shook her head. She wasn't going to think of her daughter, not after what happened. She hadn't spoken to her much and it was weighing on her. But naturally, her husband refused to notice that ever since the funeral, Quinn had stopped eating and barely slept. Why would he? He was barely home, spending his time with the church as they bounced back from the "incident" as they called it. She rolled her eyes and was about to move towards the pantry when there was a knock on her door._

_She frowned. Who in the world would be coming around the house without Russell around and so late in the evening?_

_Judy wiped her hands on her apron and walked to th_e _foyer. The doorbell rang again._

_"Coming," she called out. _

_ She opened the door, coming face to face with her brother and two other men. They were all in plain clothes, but they screamed cop even with their simple shirt and jeans. Her brother took one look at her, his face neutral but somewhat sad, and he remained on the porch while the other two barged their way into her home. The man with more hair on his face than his head, locked the door while the other, a tall, lanky fellow, backed her against the wall._

_The smile on his face was positively lethal as he said, "You should really be more like your brother."_

_Judy glanced between the two of them, but even in the situation, she found her strength. "I will never be like him," she said._

_Her head snapped back against the wall when the cop backhanded her. She crumpled to the floor, disoriented, and she felt someone grab her by her hair. She was dragged into the kitchen. The last thing she saw was a boot aimed for her face._

* * *

Quinn rocked side to side as she waited for any information about her mother. Sue was there, as was LJ, but the others were nowhere to be found. Which was good because Quinn didn't know how she would react with them. Santana was missed, but again, she didn't know how she felt. Judy wasn't the best mom in the world, if she could even qualify as a mother, but Quinn still cared about her, still...loved her.

LJ came back with two cups of coffee and a water bottle. He passed Sue the water and gave Quinn the cup with the least amount of coffee and the most amount of sugar. She looked at him funnily and he shrugged.

"I overheard you when you were talking to Santana about the Lima Bean getting your coffee order wrong. I used what was available to match it the best I could."

Quinn nodded her thanks. No sooner than LJ sat down, the doctor came in, and by the look on his face, something was wrong. She stood up and he held out his hand.

"Hello, I'm Dr. Rainor. Are you her daughter?"

"Yes, I'm Quinn, and this is my godmother, Sue," Quinn said. "And my brother in law, LJ," she added.

LJ's lips twitched but he said nothing. The doctor smiled tightly at the group and folded his arms against his chest.

"Now, Dr. Lopez and I did the best we could. I-

"Wait, did you say Dr. Lopez?" Quinn interrupted.

"Yes, he was the other surgeon called in."

"He's a cardiologist," she pointed out.

Dr. Rainor winced. "Yes, well, that's what I need to talk to you about," he said. He then gestured to a nearby bench and Quinn sat down with him.

"Look, Quinn," he said softly. "I won't dance around the issue with you. Your mother is extremely lucky to be alive. For all intents and purposes, she should be dead. We have her in a medically induced coma at the moment so the swelling in her brain can go down."

Quinn swallowed the bile that rose in her throat as the doctor continued.

"When she arrived, there was honestly little hope that she would make it. Four of her ribs were cracked, two were broken completely. Her hip was dislocated, her elbow shattered, and the fingers on her right hand were crushed to the point that there is little chance of her ever-having full use of that hand again. She will also need physical therapy to walk again. Those were only the minor issues."

"Minor?" Quinn repeated hoarsely. "What could possibly be worse than that?"

Dr. Rainor hesitated. He reached out and grabbed Quinn's hands. "The EMTs couldn't see it, but once we got her on the table, we realized someone broke off a small knife in your mother's chest, piercing your heart. By them leaving it in, it actually saved her life. Dr. Lopez did manage to remove the piece with little difficulty and stitched up the wound. When I said your mother is extremely lucky to be alive, I meant it. The body was not created to take that much stress, and with the assault, the wound to her heart, and the ones to her her head, I fully expected her to die on that table. If I believed in God, I would say that He blessed you and your family most amazingly. This truly is a miracle. The healing process will take time, but she will live."

Dr. Rainor patted Quinn on the hand and stood up. "Now, you can stop in to see her, but as I said, she is in an induced coma. But you are more than welcome to see her," he said.

Quinn stared at the floor. She nodded slowly and she listened as Dr. Rainor's footsteps vanished down the hall. For a moment, all was calm. She just sat there, but something roared in her chest so violently and so quickly she fell onto her knees. Anger filled her veins, her vision, and she smacked away the hands reaching for her.

"Find. Him," she hissed. "Find that son of a bitch and I don't care if you have to drag him down here. Bring. Me. My. Father."

"Quinn, I don't think-

"FIND HIM!"

Sue flinched back. She held up her hands and nodded. She dragged LJ away slightly.

"I know she said she didn't want anyone here, but I think you should call them," she whispered.

"I already texted them while the doctor was here," he whispered back.

Sue nodded and took one last look at Quinn before she walked off. She was positive Russell didn't do it to Judy, but that didn't mean she didn't think he was involved in some way.

* * *

Rachel had just finished loading the boxes into her car when Santana's car screeched into the driveway. She frowned when her Daddy jumped out of the car and walked right to Rachel, took her keys, and pushed her in the direction of Santana's car.

"Daddy? What-

"I'll drive your stuff to the storage facility, okay? But you need to go with Santana," Leroy said hurriedly.

Leroy waved her away. She got into the car, still confused, but as soon as she closed the door and before she could buckle up, Santana was peeling down the street.

"Santana, what's going on? You're scaring me."

Santana hit the curb hard and Rachel hissed as she hit her elbow against the window.

"Sorry. But we need to get to the hospital. Your brother texted me."

"Is he okay? Is Tori okay? What happened?"

"It's not them. Someone tried to kill Judy," Santana said softly.

"Oh no," she whispered. "Quinn."

Santana nodded. Nothing else needed to be said.

* * *

Back at the house, Leroy turned and found Hiram staring at him from the porch. They stared at one another for a long moment.

"Did someone else die?" Hiram called out.

"Not the person we're waiting on," Leroy replied.

Leroy got into Rachel's car. Hiram slammed the door to the house and Leroy held back his tears. That was the man of dreams, the love of his life, and was now nothing. Leroy grabbed the steering wheel and screamed. The only thing that heard his pain was the boxes that held their memories.

* * *

Tori, Puck, and Emma were getting ready to leave the house when Sue walked through the door.

"I thought you were at the hospital?" Emma said.

"Look, if you don't want to be apart of what could possibly be classified as a kidnapping, then please leave the room. But I am in desperate need to find Russell Fabray before Quinn loses her patience and looks for him herself."

"I'm down for a kidnapping," Tori said.

"Sure. I'm in," Puck said.

"Wait, wait, what is going on? Why are we kidnapping him?" Emma exclaimed.

"As you all know, someone came very close to killing Judy this evening. LJ is at the hospital with Quinn. Santana and Rachel I assume are on the way, and Quinn was very specific in what she wanted. And that's-

"Russell," Puck finished. "That fucker finally snapped."

"That's the thing, I don't think he did," Sue said slowly.

"I know he didn't," Emma said.

"How do you know?"

"Because I was with Russell most of the day."

"Excuse me?" Sue said.

"Not like that. That event after school today, remember? Since I'm school the counselor, I had to be there just in case someone needed my services. Russell was there on behalf of the men's group the church sponsors. They were there praying with the kids who wanted it and passing out pamphlets. Russell was literally there from the time I got there, and he was still there when I left about thirty minutes ago."

"So, if he didn't do it, then who the hell did? Judy is literally the last person on Earth who would have enemies," Puck said.

"But Russell isn't," Tori said.

"What do you mean?" Sue asked.

"If Russell has enemies, then wouldn't they go after his wife to make a point?" Tori said, shrugging.

Sue shook her head and held up her hands. "Regardless of the why, we need to find the who. If he was still there when you left, then the school is the first place we look."

"Cool. Let me grab my chloroform."

Puck, Sue, and Emma watched Tori rummage through her bag. She pulled out a small bottle and tucked it into her hoodie pocket.

Puck was the first to speak. "Why?" he asked.

"Why is it half-empty?"

"I feel like I should be more concerned, but honestly, I'm more curious about where you bought it," Emma said.

Tori ignored them. "Don't we have a man to capture?" she said.

* * *

Rachel and Santana sat with Quinn in the middle. She hadn't said a word or moved in over ten minutes. Rachel glanced at Santana, and Santana just shook her head. They weren't there to do anything but be there. Quinn had visited her mother alone, and while she was in there, Dr. Lopez came around the corner with a glass container in his hand. When he saw Santana, he paused, but eventually made his way over.

"Here," he said.

Santana took the container and saw that it held the tip of a bloody knife. She said, "What is this?"

"The knife I pulled out of Judy. I didn't know what to do with it."

"The police, maybe?"

Dr. Lopez looked at her and said, "Don't trust the police in this town, Santana. You never know who's being paid off by who."

Santana frowned and her father walked off. The door to the room opened and Santana stuffed the container in her jacket pocket. Quinn came out and stumbled into her seat. She just sat there. Santana reached behind Quinn and tapped Rachel on the shoulder.

She mouthed, "Put your arm around her."

Rachel hesitated, but Santana jerked her head and Rachel carefully wrapped her arm around Quinn's waist. The blonde stiffened, but relaxed and laid her head on Rachel's shoulder. Santana nodded proudly and continued to sit there with her hands in her pockets.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, Sue, Tori, Puck, and Emma came in with a furious looking Russell. Sue glanced around in confusion.

"Where's LJ?" she asked.

"He left to go help Leroy with my stuff," Rachel said, her eyes glancing between Russell and Quinn.

Quinn rose out of her seat and everyone froze. They were the only ones in the waiting area, nurses too far away to hear or really see anything, and Russell tried jerking away from Tori and Puck but failed. The group made a circle, blocking her from anyone who could possibly walk by, and she took advantage of the situation. Quinn brought back her fist and punched him in the nose. Russell dropped to the floor. Puck picked him back up. Quinn got into her father's face, blood dripping down his chin, and she pointed to the room where her mother was.

"Your wife is in that room right now. Someone tried to kill her. Now, I know you're a shit husband and an even shittier father, but I also know you're not stupid enough to try and kill your wife in your own home. So, I will ask you one time and one time only, do you know who would want to hurt her?"

Russell's eyes widened. "Someone hurt Judy? I-

Quinn scowled and grabbed her father's nose. He tried to scream but Puck clamped her hand over his mouth as soon as Quinn made her move.

"Who would want to hurt her?" Quinn repeated.

Russell tapped the hand over his mouth and Puck reluctantly dropped his hand as Quinn let go of his nose.

"I don't know!" he said nasally.

Quinn punched her father in the stomach, and he wheezed.

"Wait, wait," he panted. "I wasn't even home. Simmons called me and asked me if she was home, that he needed to talk to her about something, but that's all I know I swear!"

Quinn's eyes flashed.


	27. Chapter 27

**I don't know if I mentioned this but I am back in grad school! My classes are very, very writing intensive, but thankfully, they want us to explore all avenues of writing and I have one good one right here. Thank you all for your love and appreciation. I'm happy to be apart of such a great community of people. **

**There is a brief moment of derogatory language in here, very brief, but it's there so be on the lookout.**

**Love you all, **

**RCV**

* * *

"So, it has come to this."

Puck and LJ glanced at one another in the front seat.

"Stalking a cop. Following his every move. Like a lion watching his prey in the Savannah."

Puck smiled but said nothing. LJ went back to drinking his coffee.

"Do we whack the back of his head with the butt of a gun? Do we tackle him to the ground and choke him out with our bare hands?" A pause. "Or do we wing it?"

Puck turned and looked at Tori, who was staring out the window with a mask covering half her face. Unlike the simple black masks that everyone else wore, Tori decided to carve a Joker-esque smile into the beanie turned mask. It was on brand.

"I feel like this is what my life has been leading up to, you know? The kidnapping of a cop just screams like something I'm destined for."

"Have you taken your medicine today?"

Tori looked at Puck. Her eyes were cast in the moonlight and for a moment, Puck got lost. He was against all forms of romance from his end, but those eyes did something to him. She cleared her throat, and he shook his head.

"Was that a yes or no?" he asked.

She pulled up her mask and blew him a kiss before replacing it and going back to looking out of the window. Puck blinked away the interaction and turned back around. LJ snickered.

"What?"

"Nothing," LJ said softly.

Puck frowned and glanced at Tori through the rearview mirror. She was staring directly at him, the light making her brown eyes stand alone in the darkness, and his stomach twisted. But the moment between them passed when headlights crossed over the car. Puck and LJ sunk down in their seat as Officer Simmons pulled into his driveway. Across the street, Santana was doing the heavy lifting of keeping Quinn stationary while Sue walked up and met Simmons as soon as he got out of his car.

"Good thing he lives in the middle of the woods," LJ muttered.

"Why?" Puck asked.

"So no one can hear him scream," Tori finished.

* * *

"John," Sue called out.

He jumped and slammed the door shut. Red eyes, jittery movements, Sue sighed. He was drunk.

"You shouldn't be driving," she said.

"Go to hell," he slurred. "I'm the law in this town and if I wanna have a few drinks, then fuck anyone who says I can't."

"It's not the drinking that bothers me. You could've hurt someone. What happened to the man that put the community before him? What happened to the man-

"Oh, screw you!" Sue stepped back at the outburst and John stepped forward. "You gotta lot of nerve showing up here acting all high and mighty. You're a lying, cold-hearted bitch who led me on like a dog and left me hanging for some redheaded carpet munching-

Sue pointed her finger in John's face and said, "You leave her out of this! You and I were already on the verge of falling apart long before Emma came into the picture. You were a dirty cop, John! You were arresting black people just for being in one spot for too long. You turned a blind eye when gay people were beaten and left for dead. You are the worst kind of man, the worst kind of husband, the worst kind of brother-

"Brother? I've protected Judy our entire lives! She's the one with the bleeding heart. Those niggers-

Sue couldn't take it anymore. She punched John and watched him crumple to the ground. He recovered quickly but before he could reach for his gun, another, smaller blonde blur tackled him back to the ground and fists reigned down on him before Sue or anyone else could react. John protected himself, but Quinn's anger and his inebriation, it was impossible for him to block every punch.

And it wasn't like Sue or Santana were all too quick to pull her off of him.

Eventually, Santana wrapped her arms around Quinn and picked up her with little effort, which reminded Sue just how much she put those girls through during training. Santana carried Quinn to the far side of the yard and Sue bent over her ex.

"Why did you send those men after Judy?" she asked.

John was delirious, blood pouring from his nose and mouth, and Sue lightly kicked him with her boot.

"Johnny boy, why did you attack your sister?" she asked.

"T-they told me too," he stammered.

"Who?"

John closed his eyes and Sue figured he was clamming up. She straightened and turned back to Santana and Quinn.

"Go get the others. She's going to help me get him inside," she said to Quinn.

"Why can't I help you?" Quinn huffed.

"Because you'll knock his head on the door frame a few times and then we'll have a dead body on our hands instead of a live one," Sue deadpanned. "We at least need to get some answers."

Quinn rolled her eyes and stomped off to the car where Puck and the Berry duo were waiting.

Sue held off until Quinn was far enough away before she asked Santana, "That was only the beginning, wasn't it?"

"Unfortunately. You're very lucky Rachel wasn't here."

"Why is that?"

"Rachel wouldn't have stopped her."

"That's a pretty bold thing to say."

Santana bent down and grabbed John by the armpits. "Remember that day after school? We learned fairly quickly that Rachel is possessive. She hides it, buries it even, but sometimes it comes out. She likes to make it known with touch, with bites and little smirks. Based on the way she acts about her siblings, she's extremely protective. Don't get me wrong. These are things Quinn and I appreciate, but she subconsciously expands that protection to our loved ones. If anything were to happen to you or Emma, you would see the exact same thing. Her temper is-" Santana stopped and blew a strand of hair out of her face. "Let's just say that night at the diner was random, yes, but not at all unexpected," she finished.

"Should I be worried about you three?"

"What do you mean?"

"The tempers between you three can be catastrophic."

Santana kept her face blank and Sue said nothing as the others came over. LJ immediately went to help Santana while Puck kept his arms around Quinn. Sue got a good look at Tori's outfit and rubbed her temples.

"Why, girl Berry, are you dressed like that?" she sighed.

"Because I didn't want to get blood on my good clothes."

"And the mask."

Tori shrugged. Sue accepted the answer. The group trudged indoors and for a moment, the only sound was the wind blowing through the trees.

* * *

Rachel and Emma stretched out on the couch together while Leroy bustled around in the kitchen. They hadn't exactly told Leroy the full story, but told him enough he wasn't asking anymore questions. The trio were keeping themselves busy by watching a movie they all enjoyed: Eat, Pray, Love.

"Okay! I have pizza and wine! The essentials," Leroy announced as he came in. "Rachel, you can drink a little."

Emma snickered. "Leroy, you don't have to pretend with me. I know you let Rachel drink her fair share of wine," she said. "And other things."

"I don't know what you're talking about. My daughter is underage and has only drunk wine during special events."

Rachel snorted. "If you count every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday as special events," she said wryly.

Leroy shushed her and settled on the floor. "Hush and drink your apple juice," he chided.

Rachel rolled her eyes and grabbed her glass, laughing as Emma poured her drink into her glass.

"Okay, I'm not a wino," Rachel scoffed.

"I can't drink at the moment," Emma said vaguely.

Rachel frowned and Emma's eyes twinkled for a moment. Rachel squealed.

"No way," Rachel said. "How? When?"

"I'll tell you all later. Sue and I didn't think the process would go through, but it did. Just been waiting for the right time to tell her."

"What's with the conversation, It's movie time!" Leroy turned and saw the drink in Rachel's hand. "You heathen!" he added.

Rachel took a long sip and pointed at the screen. "Just play the movie old man."

"Old?!"

Emma rolled her eyes and leaned forward. She snatched the remote and hit play on the movie while Leroy bemoaned about Rachel calling him old.

* * *

Tori washed her hands in the kitchen sink very carefully. She made sure nothing splattered to the sides. She mouthed E.E. Cummings to herself. Steam rose from her fingers as she watched the soap and blood swirl down the drain. She felt that familiar sense of regret bubble in her stomach and she swallowed the urge to throw up. Contrary to what everyone assumed, she hated the other part of herself. The jokes were fine, they came from a good place, but the fire didn't. The fire that burned in her chest when she got angry almost always suffocated her. It made her scream, but when she released it, it made her feel empty.

A tear slipped down her cheek and someone turned the water off. She saw Puck standing beside her. He jerked his head towards the living room.

"We're just about done here."

Tori nodded quickly and replaced her mask.

"Are we leaving now?" she asked.

"Yah. Sue is staying behind with Quinn while he recovers and they said once they're sure he won't die in the night, they'll head back."

"Thanks."

Puck rubbed his face and said, "Knives, huh?"

Tori nodded.

"I dig it. Mine is fire," he said.

"What?"

Puck gave a small shrug. "Mine is fire. I don't do it here, too small," he said. "But it happens some times and I can't control it."

"Why are you telling me this?" she whispered.

Puck leaned back against the sink.

"Because I know what you're feeling right now," he said.

"Is that so," she sighed.

"Empty. Bored. Anxious. You want more, but there's nothing fueling the urge," he said.

Tori clenched her fists. "I'm not crazy," she muttered.

"I never said you were."

"Who cares? That's what everyone else thinks, and that's...what I want people to think."

"Why? I'm not a fan of having misconceptions about the ones I care about."

"You care about me now?"

Puck shook his head and pulled down his mask. Her hands trembled as he left her alone in the kitchen. Tori exhaled and that guilt in her stomach turned into something else. She cringed and left the kitchen. In that moment, Puck sparked something in her that she wished he would've left alone.

* * *

Quinn grabbed Santana by the arm before they left and pulled her into a hug.

"With all that's going on, I've let our relationship fall to the side, and I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize. We've both been having some trouble and that's just life. But thank you for being a sweetheart about it."

"I want us to take Rachel out somewhere."

Santana pulled back and cocked her head. "Random much. Where?" she asked.

"Away from here. Just one day away from Lima would be good for us."

"Again, where? You have somewhere in mind. You wouldn't have asked if you didn't."

Quinn bit her lip and looked down. "I was thinking we take a trip to Cleveland. Make a day of it."

"Cleveland's almost three hours away. That's a pretty long drive to try and make at night."

"Well, you see, I was thinking that maybe we could spend the night out there. A motel or something. Nothing weird. I was planning on getting us a room. Nothing has to happen. I don't think it will. I don't want Rachel thinking something has to, you know? But sleeping with her and you would be great. Just one night, a room, and I-

Santana put her hand over Quinn's mouth and she said, "You're starting to sound like a broken record. I think it's a good idea. Let's run it by Rachel and we'll go from there."

Quinn nodded, relieved, and Santana smiled, dropping her hand.

"I know what you're planning. Be smart," Santana whispered.

"How did you know?"

"Because I would do the same thing."

She kissed Quinn softly on the lips. At that moment, LJ poked his head back in and made some sort of sound.

"Enough with the sappy romantic shit. It's late, I'm hungry, and Tori's getting cranky. Get a move on, Lopez."

Santana looked over her shoulder and said, "I'll kill you, Berry. I really will."

"You say that to all the Berry children. Now, kiss girlfriend number one goodbye and let's go so you can see girlfriend number two."

Santana scrunched her nose as Quinn laughed. She pushed Santana towards the door and Santana smacked LJ on the back of his head, but he took it in stride. He waved at Quinn, said goodbye to Sue, and shut the door. Quinn listened to them argue all the way to the car and Sue came up beside her.

"I have a friend driving in from Toledo. He'll be here in an hour," Sue said quietly.

Quinn gave a slow nod and said, "San knows."

"I didn't doubt it. LJ and Tori know as well. Puck doesn't care either way."

"It has to happen," she said.

"I agree. Come on, let's prepare the car. We should be home by midnight and by morning, he'll be out of our lives for good."


	28. Chapter 28

**Mistakes are mine. **

**Love you all,**

**RCV**

* * *

No one said anything about the car found mangled on the side of the road near the edge of town. No one said anything about the body being so burnt that it merged with the melted plastic and leather. In fact, no one said anything. The town had already had a major death. What was a second?

* * *

Quinn left the hospital and Judy in Dr. Lopez's hands. She trusted the man to do his job. It was obvious Santana hadn't told him about their trip, so she wasn't going to mention it either. Quinn packed whatever clothes were at Sue's and double checked the hotel reservation. Emma sprung an extra hundred dollars to not only let them have an extra night, but also to make sure they were somewhere nice and not staying...well, somewhere not. Leroy approved after much badgering from Rachel, and only after she said she would take her school books with her. Santana got the car checked out by Puck, and once it was finished, she filled up the tank. The three were practically radiating with excitement that morning at school.

Until they almost weren't.

* * *

Rachel's mood soured immediately as Brittany came over to her and Puck in the otherwise empty hallway. Puck put a hand on Rachel's arm.

"Nice to see you're still around to keep her in check," Brittany said.

"I've been meaning to tell you that you're doing a good impression of Quinn. Though you're lacking pretty much everything that made her the HBIC," Rachel said with false sweetness.

"Oh don't worry. I don't want to be Quinn or Santana. I like to think I'm something different. Someone who can actually back up what they say."

"Don't test me, Pierce," she growled.

There was a pause.

"Or what? You going to hit me again like you did the last time?"

"Last time? What last time?"

Rachel paled at the smug smirk on Brittany's face. Brittany chuckled and looked behind Rachel.

"Oh, didn't she tell you? Your new friend here nearly pummeled me to death last year after one of those Glee parties."

"What are you talking about?" Santana asked.

Brittany looked down at Rachel. "You gonna tell them, or should I?" she fake whispered.

Rachel slowly turned to find Santana and Quinn a little behind Puck. Puck looked annoyed he didn't hear them coming while Brittany laughed.

"I'll let you all handle this. I have somewhere to be," she said, skipping away.

Rachel rubbed her face and said, "Look, what happened between me and Brittany was-

"We already know," Quinn interrupted.

"What?"

"I said, we already know," Quinn repeated. "Mercedes told me and I told Santana."

"Then why-

"Because Brittany would've known she lost her leverage over us. Plus, I like fucking with her," Santana said, shrugging.

"You're not mad?"

"I was back then, but I heard the rest of the story from Blaine and got over it."

"Blaine was there?" Rachel asked. "I thought it was just me and Puck."

"Nope. Blaine and Mercedes stayed behind to help Puck clean up. He filled in the blanks that Mercedes left out."

Rachel sagged against the lockers. "I've been dreading telling you that I beat up your ex-girlfriend for weeks."

"I've beat up your current girlfriend and she's beat up the other one," Santana said dryly. "It's a thing."

Rachel snorted and glanced at Puck, who seemed just as relieved as she did. He clapped Rachel on the shoulder and pointed towards the counselor's office.

"I need to talk to Emma. See you guys on Wednesday?"

"Sure thing."

"Yep."

"We'll call you when we get there."

Puck gave a thumbs up and walked away. The bell rang and the hallway was full of kids rushing to the lunchroom.

"Oh, hey. We came out here because we know you and Puck usually skip the end of your fourth period. We wanted to see if you wanted to eat with us?" Quinn asked.

"Alone," Santana added.

Rachel smiled and nodded. "I'd love too."

* * *

Sue stood in front of the mirror. Her hair fell in wet strands obscuring most of her face, but if one looked close enough, they could easily see the black shadows that crept along her cheekbones and jawline, edging towards the corner of her lips where she scowled. Her thoughts echoed around the empty space, the sound of Emma singing along to some song in the bedroom barely drowned out the regret and guilt and anger that permeated the mist from the shower.

But the regret wasn't for the murder. It was for not doing it sooner.

That's where the guilt came in. Should she feel happy about having her ex-husband murdered? Shouldn't she feel some sort of sadness at the fact his life was over? And that's where the anger came in. Why should she feel sad for a man who caused others so much pain and harm that it was physically impossible for her to care about him in any sense other than as a past mistake, a past lesson, a past-

Everything.

Sue sighed and dropped her chin to her chest. She gripped the counter and rolled her neck around, trying to relieve some of the tension in her shoulders, but soft hands did the job for her. She looked up and saw Emma standing behind her, staring at her through the glass. Nothing was said, but it just reminded Sue of why John needed to go. She had something she was working towards, a different type of happiness that most people her age already had or never found.

"I would say you'll get wrinkles frowning like that, but you already have them."

Sue pouted and said, "I am not that old."

"I never said you were old. I said you had wrinkles. Wrinkles are not indicative of age. They're more representative of experience," Emma responded.

"Nice save."

"Why are you upset?"

Sue chewed on her bottom lip as she thought about the way she needed to respond. She would tell Emma, naturally, but she couldn't tell her at that moment. She turned around and cupped Emma's face, kissing her on the forehead. "Sweetheart, I need you to trust me when I say that when the time is right, I will tell you the truth," she said.

"I would hope so. You can't go around lying to your spouse. What kind of example would that set for our kid?"

Emma pulled away quickly with a small smile and Sue scrunched her face. There was so much to unpack in that one sentence that it took her a moment to realize what Emma was saying. And that Emma was gone.

"Wait! Did you say our kid?" Sue exclaimed, coming into the bedroom.

Emma rolled her eyes and looked at her watch. "It took you longer than thirty seconds to ask me that. You're slipping, Sylvester," she said.

"I- huh?"

Emma pursed her lips and counted down from five. By the time she got to three, Sue was spinning her around the room. After a minute, Emma patted her shoulder and told her she was going to paint the room with her breakfast if she didn't put her down.

"Thanks for adding to my morning sickness," Emma huffed.

"Morning sickness?" Sue repeated. "But, that means-

"I've been pregnant for a while now. With everything that's been going on, I just didn't know how to tell you," Emma said hesitantly.

"Oh. Oh, boy," Sue said weakly.

"Not necessarily. We don't know the sex yet."

Sue glared at Emma for the comment and said, "Not funny."

"I wasn't joking."

"Emma!"

"What?"

"Stop it."

"Stop what?"

"Seriously?"

"I'm not doing anything!"

Sue saw the small smile on Emma's face and flicked her future wife on the nose. "Thank you," she said.

"For what? I didn't do anything."

"For being you, for loving me, and for taking this next step with me."

Emma teared up and smacked Sue on the chest. "Don't talk like that. You know that always gets me," she said.

"I'm serious. I know these last few weeks have been hard, but for you to take this step with me means so much and I love you more than I thought was possible. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me, and when this baby comes, you'll both be the light of my world and –

Emma clamped her hand over Sue's mouth and inhaled deeply. She was fully crying, and her eyes shined in the setting sun. "You did that on purpose," she whispered.

Sue winked at Emma and moved Emma's hand from her mouth. "Sort of. I meant it regardless. Now, come on, let me get dressed and we'll wake up the monsters downstairs," she said.

"You mean the monsters that have been listening to this entire conversation?" Emma said wryly, pointing to the door.

Sue's head snapped to the side and she saw shadows disappear from beneath the door frame. She looked back at Emma in confusion and the redhead laughed.

"They've been there probably since I screamed when you picked me up off the ground. If I know them well enough, it was Quinn, Santana, and LJ. Puck and Tori wouldn't care enough to stay and eavesdrop. Plus, I told Rachel last night," she said.

Sue inclined her head at that and stomped into her closet, throwing on some clothes. She came back out and yanked open the door.

"Don't kill them!" Emma shouted as Sue closed the door behind her.

* * *

Rachel drank from her coffee as Quinn and Santana came into the kitchen.

"You got caught, didn't you?" she asked.

Quinn and Santana had their backs to the living room as they made their own cups of coffee.

"Nope."

"Nah."

Rachel saw Sue come down the stairs and smirked. "Yes, you did," she said.

They turned in unison and saw Sue heading their way. Quinn glanced at Santana, who glanced at Quinn, and Rachel continued to drink her coffee and read as if nothing was wrong.

"Give me one reason why I shouldn't tear into you two for being nosy?"

"Because that's gross," Santana said.

"And because we're not afraid of you anymore," Quinn scoffed.

Santana added, "Well, I wouldn't say that."

Rachel snickered under her breath. Sue glanced at her and then the book.

"Is that my copy or yours?" she asked.

"Mine. I brought it with me for the ride," Rachel said.

Sue nodded and went back to Quinn and Santana.

"You do realize that I'm technically your teacher now. Right?"

Quinn and Santana paused for a moment.

"What do you mean?" Quinn asked.

Rachel flipped a page to her book. "Due to Sue being the Cheerio coach and the P.E. coach, as well as an immovable object, she can convince Figgins to take you out of your elective and put you into her class. Since you two are no longer Cheerios, you are no longer exempt from P.E. related activities. Therefore, she can make you run laps like us regular folk during class," she said.

"You didn't need to sound so smug," Santana muttered.

"Didn't I, though?"

"Don't you have P.E. with her?" Quinn asked.

"I do."

"So, wouldn't you be doing laps as well?" Quinn pointed out.

"Not anymore. I have an excuse."

"What excuse?" Santana exclaimed.

"That, my love, is none of your business," Rachel quipped.

"Bullshit, Berry!"

"What was that?" Rachel said, cocking her eyebrow at Santana.

"Nothing," Santana grumbled, folding her arms against her chest.

Rachel narrowed her eyes at Santana. Once the moment passed, Quinn saw Rachel wink at Sue.

"Wait a minute. What's going on?" Quinn asked.

"What makes you think something's going on?" Rachel said.

Quinn put her hands on the counter and looked Rachel in the eyes. "Because you just winked at Sue, you're reading a book –

"Are you saying I don't read books?" Rachel interrupted.

"I'm saying you only read those fantasy books where the princess gets rescued by the rogue outlaw much to the displeasure of her father. Not the slutty romance novels with the shirtless men on the front grabbing the ass of the woman in their arms. Especially not the ones about jocks and high school."

"Is that all?"

Quinn looked down and her eyebrow twitched. "Your outfit," she said.

"What about my outfit?" Rachel asked.

"You're wearing a pair of really short shorts and a tank top."

"I'm going on a road trip and I want to be comfortable," she said.

"To repeat our girlfriend, bullshit."

Rachel cocked her head and closed the book. She rose from her chair and poured the rest of her coffee down the sink. Santana made a sound, but Rachel ignored her. She walked up to Quinn and got close enough their noses touched.

"Let me make something clear to you, Quinn Fabray. You might think you know every little thing about me, but you don't. You know enough and from what you know, I only let you think you know more than that. I'm reading that book because I happen to like the author and I love how she portrays the characters in this novel. It goes beyond the stereotype, and it's about a girl who falls in love with two jocks. I relate to the story, funny enough. Second, I'm wearing this outfit because again, I'm going on a road trip, and I hate being uncomfortable while I'm in the car for longer than an hour. With the information I have just given you, are you still under the impression that something is going on or are you woman enough to admit you were wrong and want to apologize?"

The kitchen was so tense and so quiet that Rachel could hear the grinding of Quinn's teeth. She pressed her lips against Quinn's ear.

"Please remember that I'm not the same girl from before. It will make this trip a lot easier," she whispered.

Rachel lowered herself and backed away from Quinn, who was red in the face.

"I'm going to run upstairs and say bye to Emma," she said. "Then I'll be ready to go."

* * *

After Rachel left, Quinn exhaled and fell into the counter.

"You alright there, Quinnie?" Sue teased.

"What the fuck was that?" she wheezed.

"What the fuck was what?" LJ asked as he and Tori came into the room.

"Where do you come from?" Santana hissed.

"The darkest parts of hell," Tori deadpanned.

"You guys missed Quinn meeting _that_ side of Rachel," Sue said.

LJ and Tori took a moment, but then they caught on.

"Oh. Wait, how do you know about that side?" Tori asked.

"I've seen her after she gets slushied or after one of those Glee kids would say something stupid. It's always been there. Guess she got tired of holding back," Sue said.

"Meaning?" Santana asked.

"Rachel likes to be on top," Tori said with a shrug. "Don't ask me why I know that, I just do. These are things sisters discover about each other after too many drinks and close quarters when we have respective partners over."

LJ nudged Tori in the side and she winced.

"Oops?" she said.

"Respective partners?" Quinn repeated.

"What do you mean by that?" Santana asked.

"Did you really think Rachel was a celibate during her time in Seattle?" LJ said. "She had a preference for a blonde or a brunette, sometimes both."

"At the same time?" Santana asked.

LJ and Tori said nothing as Rachel came into the room. She glanced at her siblings and said, "Must you torture them like that?"

"Duh."

They walked out of the room.

"Was that a yes or no?" Santana called out after them.

"You'll find out later," Rachel said.

Santana had no response to that. Quinn patted Santana on the shoulder in sympathy. Sue cackled.

"Ah man. I came down here to get on you all about eavesdropping, but this was way better than anything I had planned."

Quinn and Santana gave short, distracted nods, and Sue laughed at them again.

"Have a safe trip, kid," she said to Rachel. "Leroy wanted me to tell you to call him as soon as you get to Cleveland and as soon as you get to the hotel. He got caught up with the divorce lawyer."

Rachel nodded. She followed Sue into the living room.

"Do you think they were just teasing us about Rachel having sex with two people at once?" Santana whispered.

"Nope."

"Are we screwed?"

"Yep."

"Get a move on!" Rachel shouted. "I don't want either of you driving at night!"


	29. Chapter 29

**I don't react to celebrity deaths usually, almost never, but that's different today. So very different. Basketball became my favorite sport after watching the Lakers versus Celtics in '08. I watched Kobe make impossible shots and carry his team as far as he could. Then in 2010, I watched him do the same thing and will his team to victory. I legit cannot fathom the weirdness around this day. It's a lot. But, still... RIP to the GOAT and his daughter. **

**Live your lives, man. Don't take none of it for granted. Get fresh air. Get sunshine. Do it all. This world is not promised forever. **

**Much love to you guys,**

**RCV**

* * *

Rachel, Santana, and Quinn flopped on their Queen mattress as soon as they walked into the hotel room. Clothes on and everything. The ride to Cleveland was fine until they hit traffic halfway there. Then there was the GPS malfunctioning once they got into the city. Then it was three cranky, hungry, and tired women in the car arguing about where they wanted to eat. Then it was a problem with their check-in, the woman at the counter was a new worker and had somehow messed up their reservation. Something they didn't know, that Quinn "forgot" to mention, was that she was a prime member of the hotel chain. In short, they were upgraded to the last available suite. They got their bags sent up, free room service throughout their stay, and a beautiful view of the city. It worked out in the end, but it took them far too long to get there. Rachel sleepily pulled out her phone as it started to ring for the third time that night.

"'ello?" she answered.

"Are you safe and sound in your bed?"

"Yes, Dad," she sighed.

"Are Quinn and Santana behaving?"

"Yes, Dad."

"Are you tired?"

"Yes. Dad."

"Want me to go now?"

"Oh for...please let me get some sleep and I will call you tomorrow," Rachel gritted out.

There was a chuckle on the end of the line before Leroy said goodnight and hung up the call. Rachel had closed her eyes for the second time when her phone rang again. She glanced at the screen, saw it was Kurt, and denied the call. She turned off her phone and threw it on top of her suitcase.

"We need rules. Bedroom rules," Santana said.

"Excuse me?"

"Not what she means," Quinn sighed. "Santana is a cold hotel room, burrowed under the covers type of person. I'm a warm room with as little clothes as possible type of person."

"Then how do you two sleep together?"

"We, uh, don't really sleep in the same room."

Rachel leaned up on her elbows. "You two don't sleep in the same room?" she asked. "Are you serious?"

Santana scratched her nose and said, "She sleeps in the guest room."

"But you two made it sound like you guys were always sleeping together."

"We don't tell people because then they'll start asking why and make assumptions and start rumors. It's easier to lie."

"So..."

"So, we need you to break the tie," Santana said. "Cold or warm?"

"I sleep in the nude."

The confession caused both Quinn and Santana to rise in unison. Rachel shrugged and moved into a cross-legged position.

"One more time?" Quinn asked.

"I sleep in the nude. It's something that started when I was a freshman. I don't know why I just do."

"That's...something we should've known before hand."

"Why?"

"Because..."

"Because what?"

"Dammit Rachel you know why!"

"I mean, I didn't think it was a problem. It's never been a problem before. When Puck and I-

Rachel coughed and stopped talking. She scrambled off the bed and started rummaging through her luggage.

"When you and Puck...what?" Quinn asked.

"Have you guys seen my charger?"

"It's in your purse. But what were you saying about you and Puck?" Santana asked.

"I could've sworn I put it in my-

"Rachel."

She deflated and straightened up. She brushed her hair out of her face and slowly turned around. Santana and Quinn both had that 'you better tell us' look on their face that Rachel not only didn't want to see, but never wanted to see again.

"You and Puck...what?"

"Well, you see, there's been a weird gray area with where I've been staying after being kicked out of the house. Sure, sometimes I stay with Sue and Emma, or I'll stay in the motel with the family. But...I've been staying at Puck's place every other night or so since like...the day before you all sang to me. But it isn't what you think..."

* * *

_"You trying to grab some clothes or what?" Puck asked. He kept his hand on her back as he escorted her to his room, and she let it slide knowing what he was protecting her from. Rachel kept her eyes on Puck, but she felt the eyes of his stepfather following them as they moved through the house._

_"Yeah, just some pants and a couple of shirts," she said._

_Puck gave a short nod and pushed her inside of his room, closing the door behind him quickly. He locked it, and they both waited. Sure enough, they heard footsteps, and the door handle rattled just enough that Puck reached for the bat near his dresser. Rachel sat on Puck's bed and held her head in her hands for a moment, but the footsteps walked away and they both relaxed._

_"You shouldn't be staying here," Puck whispered. "Not with him around." _

_"You shouldn't be either," she hissed. "I'm only here for you." _

_"If Santana and Quinn found out-_

_"I know. Okay? I already know I have to tell them."_

_"Think they'll be mad?"_

_Rachel ran a hand through her hair. "They'll be furious. But you have to trust me that I'll keep you out of it. It's my decision." _

_Puck looked uncomfortable but he nodded. Rachel sighed and shook her head._

_"You've got to get out of here, Puck," Rachel whispered. "You can't keep living like this."_

_"What about my Mom and my sister?"_

_"What good are you going to be to them if you're dead or in the hospital?"_

_Puck stomped to his closet and pulled out her trunk of clothes. He grabbed a duffel bag off the top and threw it on the bed. "You need to let me handle this, Rae," he said._

_"I'm trying, but you and I both know it's getting worse. You can't keep hiding this from the others," she pleaded._

_Rachel got off the bed and started going through her trunk. She pulled out a dress, some heels, and other things. She threw them in the duffel bag._

_"They got their own shit to worry about. I'm not trying to add on to that."_

_"That's bullshit and you know it," she snapped. "You and I have been through too much shit for you to try and pull that over me. We're pretty much family at this point and you're smack dab in the middle of it just as I am. Don't think I don't notice the way you light up when Emma kisses your forehead and makes you dinner. Don't think I don't notice how Sue lets you help her with stuff around the house and how you two sneak off and smoke cigars in the shed. And don't think I don't know about you sleeping with Quinn after she got beaten by her father. I know you, Noah. I always have!"_

_"Then why can't you leave this alone!"_

_"Because you're my brother, my best friend! You've had my back in everything. You were the one who took me to the city to watch those illegal fights. You were the one who hooked me up with that belly button ring that got infected and you had to steal antibiotics for me. You're the one who knew from the beginning about my feelings for Santana and Quinn. You've had me when no one else did. I love you and I am tired of watching you put your life on the line for this family when they won't do the same for you." _

_At the end of her rant, Puck stepped up to her, towering over her, but she didn't back down. He had tears streaming from his red eyes, and Rachel was no better. They stood there for a tense minute before Puck broke. _

_"I can't leave them," he cried._

_"You're not leaving them if they don't want to come with you," she said, cupping his cheek. "Noah, this isn't healthy or safe for you anymore. You're having night terrors. You're drinking again. You're doing drugs, and don't even try to deny it. You're slipping again. I can't and won't watch you do this a second time. I won't."_

_Puck cried into her shoulder and the height difference was awkward for them both, so Rachel sat on the bed. She held on to him and sighed. Her eyes drifted to the door and she saw a silhouette beneath the frame. It was small, too small to be his stepfather, but it wasn't his mother as she was at work. Rachel knew it was his sister, but she didn't have the energy or patience to think about why she was eavesdropping on their conversation. Puck pulled back and sniffed, wiping his nose on his shirt. _

_"You talk a big game with Santana and Quinn. How do you think they'll react to knowing you sleep practically naked in my bed?" he teased._

_"First, you and I sleep with pillows in between us. Second, I'm hoping that part never comes out," she muttered._

_"And when you three finally sleep in the same bed?" he asked._

_Rachel winced. "Yeah. I'm still working it out." _

* * *

"And that's...the end of it," Rachel said.

Santana glanced between Rachel and Quinn. "Am I the only one who's stopped sleeping in the same bed with Puck?" she asked.

Quinn turned red. "It was only for one night. I was in too much pain to sleep and he laid there with me until I got comfortable," she said.

"This is insane." Pause. "That bastard has seen you naked before us!" Santana exclaimed.

Rachel and Quinn glared at Santana, who shrugged un-apologetically.

"Anyway," Quinn said. "That still doesn't answer the question about how we sleep tonight."

"Wait, you guys are over me and Puck? Just like that?" Rachel asked.

"Hell no," they said in unison.

"We're just too tired to fight you about it," Quinn said.

"Fine. But...to answer your question, I prefer it cold," Rachel said.

"Ugh."

"Booyah. Cold room wins."

* * *

LJ walked down the street with Tori. Sure, it was dark out, but it was better than being in that motel room. It was beginning to get stuffy and depressing. He looked from the corner of his eye and counted the number of times Tori would start and stop a conversation. He made it to ten before he grabbed Tori by the elbow.

"Speak before you work yourself into a panic attack," he said.

"I like Puck," she blurted.

"Okay."

Tori blinked. "That's it?"

"What do you want me to say? You can't like him? You can do better? I mean, I could say that, but we both already know you can't do better."

"Rude," she mumbled.

"I'm kidding," he said. "I don't know what to say. I know nothing about him, but he has the same demons floating around his eyes like you do, so I guess there could be something there. I'm rooting for your happiness always."

"Demons? What demons?"

"He has demons."

"No, I meant about me. I don't have any demons."

"Tori-

"No, LJ. I don't," she scoffed. "I'm as I've always been."

LJ frowned. "No, you aren't," he said softly. "You've changed."

Tori rolled her eyes and tried to walk away, but he didn't let her. He pulled her back and she moved out of his grip.

"You're being ridiculous," she said.

"Am I?"

"Yes, you are!"

"You're still running."

"Shut up."

"No. I'm tired of shutting up. I might tease you and crack jokes, but I'm your brother and I love you. What happened will catch up to you so why do you keep dodging it?"

"Because I don't want to talk about it," she exclaimed. "I want to bury it with everything else!"

"That's not how life works."

"Fuck life!"

"That's dramatic, even for you."

Tori huffed and rubbed at her face. "Do you know how hard it is for me to fight these urges?"

"No. But I've watched you hide them for the last three years. So has Mama. We know what you like to do. Hell, we've seen you in action. Do you not remember that turkey from Thanksgiving?"

"It was already dead," she whined.

"You sliced that turkey so damn thin that it was almost professional. My point is, we know your thing with knives and...skin. It's creepy as hell, but we know you wouldn't do it unless the person deserved it. You're like our Dexter. Equally morally compromised but more capable to live in society."

Tori shot him a withering glare.

"I'm just saying. If you like Puck, go for it. You deserve to be happy after that fucker Ryan Fryer."

Tori's face shifted. "Don't," she said.

"I'm just saying. I want my sister back. The real Tori, the one that used to pick me up and drop me into the pool when she felt like I was reading too much. The one who used to buy me different liquids and make me create a new element so we could be rich. The one who would keep me awake at night so I could study and be at my very best because she didn't want no stuck-up rich kid taking my place. That Tori."

"What if she's gone?"

LJ put his finger in Tori's face and nearly spit out his words, "She isn't, and you fucking know it. She's still there. The one who's a damn good swimmer, a talented musician, an intelligent thinker, and a beautiful soul who got fucked over by someone she loved. And, yeah, I know, what happened between you and Ryan wasn't fair, but it happened. It happened and it fucked up everything, I get it. Trust me, I get it. But for months, I watched my sister turn into this cold-hearted bitch when she is something so far opposite that it's scary. I love you, Tori, so much, but I'm sick of playing this game. You're something special and I want you to start acting like it. Okay? Just please, come back to me. I can't do this anymore and I- I want my big sis back so bad. Please."

Tori looked away and folded her arms against her chest.

"Tori, look at me," he pleaded.

She didn't.

"Tori, please."

Still nothing.

"Goddamnit, Victoria, look at me!"

When she finally turned her head, LJ's heart fell into his stomach. She looked exactly like she did the night she found out about Ryan.

Broken.

So, LJ did the only thing he could: he held her. He held her longer and harder than he ever did. His sister wasn't that much taller than Rachel, so she fit in his arms easily. He kissed the top of her head and her sobs were so loud against his chest.

"I'm sorry, Tor. I'm sorry," he whispered.

Tori kept crying. And he kept holding on.

* * *

Santana scrolled through her phone while Quinn devoured the rest of the macaroni and cheese. Her blonde was a black hole, and it was concerning how much food she ate on a consistent basis. The bathroom door opened and she looked up briefly but did a double take when she saw what Rachel had on.

"Now that is not fair," she said.

Quinn abandoned her food and said, "Is that what you're sleeping in?"

Rachel ran her hands down the black nightie and tucked a stray hair behind her ear. "Is it too much?" she asked.

"Not at all. We just...didn't expect it," Santana finished lamely.

Rachel laughed and crawled onto the bed. Santana took up her left side. Quinn ran into the bathroom to brush her teeth and wash her hands before she was back and taking up Rachel's right side. Santana turned off the light and they curled together. Legs intertwined and Rachel stared at the ceiling for a long time. She felt something click into place, and when she closed her eyes, she slept through the entire night.

The first time in a long time.

* * *

Emma carefully put back the ice cream she'd been eating when her backdoor opened. She yelped and spun around, spoon in hand. Tori and LJ looked at her in amusement.

"It's nine in the morning," LJ said.

"So?" Emma huffed. "I wanted ice cream."

Tori snickered and put her hands in her hoodie pocket. She cleared her throat. "Is Puck here? We know he isn't going to school today," she asked softly.

"I should not be letting you all skip this much," she grumbled. "But no, he is not. He went home and hasn't returned."

"Really? I thought he was avoiding his house?" LJ said.

"Me too. But he left last night after the girls left. Hasn't been back since."

Tori shifted. "Is that not...sitting well with anyone else?" she said.

"Huh. Maybe we should call?" Emma asked slowly.

LJ pulled up Puck's name and clicked on his number. It went straight to voicemail.

"It went to voicemail," he said.

"We're not going to freak out, right?" Tori asked. "Like he's fine, right?"

"Um, sure," LJ said. "Let's just do a drive by. Just in case."

"You two go over and call me if anything seems off," Emma said. "None of us need this stress, but they would kill us if we let anything happen to Puck while they were gone. I know he can take care of himself, but still."

"You know where he lives?" Tori asked.

"I'll text you the address."

LJ and Tori left the house. Emma sent the address and said a quick prayer. If not for Puck's sake, for Rachel's.

* * *

LJ and Tori saw Puck's truck outside of his house. They shared a look and kept driving down the street. They parked a few doors down and walked back. When they got close, they saw Puck go flying from the front door. A large man in a tank top and ratty shorts came stumbling out with a bat in hand. Puck had his hands covering his face. LJ moved before Tori even blinked.


	30. Chapter 30

**You guys ever read or write a chapter that mirrored your brain? This is mine. **

**I know this is in the present tense. I realized it way too late to change it. The good news is, as insane as this chapter is, think of it as the Twilight Zone piece. Because that's what it is. Yes, Rachel overreacted. Yes, Quinn overreacted. Yes, Santana underreacted. And yes, LJ is a jerk. **

**These are things we learn today. **

**Love you all,**

**RCV**

* * *

The next morning finds LJ, Tori, and Puck sitting on the bleachers. School didn't start for another couple of hours, but they needed the space.

LJ takes the bag of ice from Tori. "Thanks," he says.

Tori grunts as acknowledgement and walks over to Puck, who is staring off into the distance. She sits next to him, and he turns halfway.

"Thanks for not calling Rachel and the others yet," he says. "I'm not ready to face that music."

"Which music?"

"The one where Rachel tells me I should have gotten out of that house a long time ago."

Tori hums. "I know that one. The I Told You So Ballad my sister sings so often," she jokes.

Puck laughs and runs a hand over his head. "I genuinely don't want to tell them," he sighs.

"You're going to have to. And I'm going out on a limb and saying your Dad's the one that gave you that scar on your forehead."

"Yeah. It wasn't even for no reason other than to do it. He was day drinking, saw me driving past the gas station, and the rest is history. I'm lucky he got the worse end of it getting glass in his knuckles. Mom was not happy to have to tend to that wound."

Tori wraps her knees around herself. She catches LJ giving her a small smile, and she sticks out her tongue. Puck's phone rings and he holds it in the air.

"As if her ears were burning," he says.

"You gotta answer it."

"I know."

Puck puts the call on speaker. "Hello?"

"I told them about me sleeping in your bed."

"How'd that go?"

There was shuffling, and Puck heard, "You're very lucky she convinced me not to kill you."

"I am, Satan. I truly am," he teases.

"Fuck you."

Puck chuckles as Rachel takes the phone. "Don't antagonize her," she scolds.

"Okay, okay. Go enjoy the rest of your trip. We'll be here when you get back."

"Fine. Is everything alright there?" she asks.

Puck hesitates. "Nothing you need to worry about," he says softly. "Everyone's fine and in one piece."

"Why don't I believe you?"

"Go," he says. "I'll see you when you get back."

Rachel sighs and hangs up the call. Tori pats him on the shoulder.

"You did good, kid," she says. "Also, why were you sleeping with my sister?"

"Why, jealous?" he asks.

Tori winks and leans over. "Maybe," she whispers.

Tori gets up and hops down to where LJ is sitting. Puck watches her go and laughs to himself. He stretches out on the bleachers and throws his arm over his eyes, ignoring the pain in his side from where the broken glass scratched him.

* * *

Santana paces the hotel room while Rachel and Quinn watch.

"Okay, what I have to say is that I'm a hacker," she says. "A very good one. Leroy told me that I needed to tell you guys and I figure that since we're dropping secrets that I should do the same."

"You're a what?" Quinn asks.

"A hacker."

"Like with computers?"

"Yes, Quinn, like with computers."

Rachel frowns. "Why does Daddy know about your hacking?" she asks.

Santana winces. "Now that, I cannot tell you, but I will tell you that I've been doing some research. When we get back to Lima, remind me to take you all into my...room, I guess, and show you what I've learned."

"Sounds kinky."

"Quinn, the kinkiest thing you've ever done is let me-

"Hey!" Quinn interrupts. "Don't you dare! That was a one time thing."

"What was a one time thing?" Rachel asks.

Santana folds her arms and smirks. "Quinn let me finger her during a Glee performance while we were in the auditorium. She climaxed at the climax," she says, snorting at her joke.

"Interesting. Was I in Seattle when that happened?" she asks.

"Yep."

"So does this mean you guys are going to do it again anytime soon? Preferably with me involved?"

Santana and Quinn stutter through a response. Rachel smiles and picks up the remote for the television. She turns it on and stretches out on the bed, turning to cartoons.

"You're going to say something like that and then watch fucking Adventure Time?" Quinn exclaims.

"Duh. You two aren't going to do anything about it, so why not?"

Santana twitches and crosses the room. She snatches the remote from her and bends down to look her in the face. "Who says we won't do anything?" she whispers.

"Me," Rachel whispers back. "We all know you won't do it unless I ask."

Quinn gasps. "You wouldn't!" she exclaims.

"Oh I would. Consider it payback for the amount of ice baths you guys have given me," she teases.

"Oh yeah? Well how about I don't tell you what we were thinking about when we were in the auditorium."

Rachel shrugs. "I don't care."

"You sure?"

"Yep."

Santana leans over and whispers in Rachel's ear, "Fine. I won't tell you that we were thinking about you, and I won't tell you that Quinn came at the thought of you watching."

Rachel twitches, but says nothing. She glares at Santana's retreating form. Santana walks over at Quinn, who pretends to be reading a book, and sits in Quinn's lap. Quinn is flustered, red, but she wraps her arms around Santana out of habit.

"I hate you," Rachel sighs.

* * *

_**Tuesday Night**_

Rachel wraps her arms around herself as she, Santana and Quinn stand in the driveway. Leroy's car pulls up in front of the house, and out walks LJ, Tori, and Puck. Rachel runs over to Puck and jumps into his arms. He catches her on instinct, but grunts in pain.

"I'm alright, Rocky," he mutters. "I'm alright."

Rachel gets down and punches him repeatedly in the shoulder. "I told you!" she shouts. "I told you staying there was a bad idea. Why didn't you listen to me? You could've been killed!"

Puck glances over at Tori. "I thought you said she would go easy on me."

"This is her being easy."

Rachel huffs and punches him again. Puck grabs her wrists and gives her a half-smile.

"Can you stop hitting me?" he asks.

"No!"

Puck rolls his eyes. "I'm fine. You do know that, right?"

"So! Let me be upset about this," she huffs.

Puck sighs and pulls her into a hug. He looks over her shoulder at Santana, who glares at him. Puck whispers, "Is Santana still mad at me?"

"Yes," Rachel grumbles. "Very."

"On a scale of one to ten..."

"Nine," Santana growls. "You're sleeping with both of my girlfriends!"

"I slept with him one time and I was on medication," Quinn exclaims. "He was there to make sure I didn't fall out of the bed!"

"Is now the time to do this?" Rachel asks.

"Santana's right," Puck says. "I shouldn't have taken that role."

Rachel shakes her head. "But we both know it's not like that! We didn't sleep together. Well, we did, but we didn't have sex," she says.

Santana steps forward. Rachel remains where she stands. They have a minor stand-off; Santana looking at Rachel, and Rachel looking at Santana. For a moment, it's quiet, but something flashes in Santana's eyes.

"It's not that you've been sleeping with Puck," Santana eventually grits out. "It's where you've been sleeping."

"It's not that bad. Sure, sleeping there is very hard to do with him snoring or whatever."

"That's not what I meant, and you know it."

Rachel tenses. She folds her arms and looks down.

"What are we missing here?" LJ asks.

Santana and Quinn share a look. Santana bows her head and walks back to the porch. She sits down on the bench and pulls out her phone. Rachel looks at Quinn in confusion.

"Why did she walk away?"

_**(TW: please skip if need be)**_

"Because she can't listen to this conversation without getting upset. And I don't like having it around her. Honestly, I don't want to have it around your siblings either, but whatever."

LJ clears his throat and walks pass Quinn and Rachel. He joins Santana on the porch. Tori comes up to stand beside Puck, and Quinn runs a hand through her hair. She folds her arms and looks up the sky.

"I can see why you kept it from us," Quinn says. "I would've done the same thing."

"Meaning?"

Quinn pulls down her shirt and points to a scar on her collarbone. It's not a big one, barely an inch long, but it's bright red and stands out against Quinn's otherwise perfect skin.

"You guys have seen a glimpse of Puck's father, but what you don't know is that his father can get a little handsy once he has some liquor in his system. Long story short, I was over Puck's place after one of his parties and I had to use the restroom. His stepfather approached me when I finished, pulled out a knife, sliced my tank top, and told me that if he caught me there again, he'd show me how a real man takes care of a woman."

Rachel runs a finger across the scar. Quinn shivers under her touch and goosebumps rise on her skin. Rachel sighs and puts her hands in the hoodie pocket.

"Look. It's. My first night there, I made the mistake of falling asleep. I found him hovering over me and I screamed. Puck woke up and without even knowing what was happening, wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to the other side of the bed. He held on to me, and his stepfather laughed. The next morning, while Puck was in the bathroom, I looked down and saw that he'd drawn on my neck. It was a smiley face, nothing big, but it took me hours to wash it off."

"You didn't tell me that," Puck says, frowning.

"I didn't want to talk about it."

Puck rubs the back of his head.

Tori holds up her hand and asks, "Why is he still alive?"

_**(TW: OVER)**_

"You can't kill everyone," Rachel says.

"No, but I can sure as hell kill him."

Rachel looks at her sister. She holds out her hand and Tori reluctantly grabs it. Quinn looks over her shoulder. "You can come back now, you guys," she says loudly.

Santana and LJ jog down the steps. When Santana gets close, she wraps Quinn in a hug and does the same to Rachel.

"I'm sorry I made a big deal about it," she mutters.

Rachel kisses Santana's jaw. "Don't apologize. You were just looking out for me."

Santana glances at Rachel. "I'm still not happy about you not mentioning it before now."

"That's fair. I didn't mean to be sneaky, and I also didn't even think about it like that."

"Well start thinking about it like that. I'm not interested in either one of you getting hurt. I love you both way too much."

"Aww," Quinn coos.

Santana flicks Quinn in the nose. "Come on, let's go inside. It's dark out, it's late, and I'm sure Emma wants to hear about our trip."

"I don't see why you promised her a full breakdown."

"It was the only way she'd pay for the room."

Santana and Quinn walk ahead, Puck follows. Rachel stays behind with her siblings.

"Where's Dad?" she asks softly.

LJ folds his arms. "Lawyer's office."

"Of course."

"You think he'll get out of this unscathed?" Tori asks.

Rachel grabs her siblings hands and squeezes. "Let's not think about that yet."


	31. Chapter 31

**These are not my songs. Remedy by Adele; I See You by Missio**.

* * *

Rachel sat in class, head in hand, her attention everywhere but the teacher and the riveting lesson on the War of 1812. Puck was doing community service, something he conveniently forgot to mention until the last minute, and LJ and Tori were both sick after drinking spoiled milk. Santana and Quinn were with Sue in the gym. Though the two weren't really involved with the Cheerios, they were the best Sue ever had, and the woman was struggling with the new batch of cheerleaders. Brittany was mysteriously absent from school as well.

Honestly, Rachel had no idea how her siblings missed the expiration date, but it was said and done. So, she, being the star student that she was, went to school to avoid being stuck watching them vomit all over the place. Leroy was stuck at home, having kept the meeting with his lawyer to himself, and was playing nurse for the time being.

Rachel, without Santana or Puck in class, meant she was forced to sit next to new people. One of them being…

"Hey, I was thinking we could hang out later?"

Rachel glowered. She turned to Kurt and said, "My answer hasn't changed from the first time you asked."

"How can I get the chance to prove I'm still your friend if you won't let me?"

"Who said I wanted you as a friend?"

Kurt sighed. "Look, after Finn died, I realized I was being a complete jerk. I want to start over. Plus, you didn't even give me a chance to prove myself. You went straight to Santana and Quinn, even though I did nothing wrong."

"I think you're remembering my arrival a little differently," she said wryly.

"All I'm asking for is one night. You, me, Tina, and Mercedes. We can have that girls' night we've always wanted to do. It'll be fun."

Rachel looked Kurt in the eyes. Part of her knew he was being genuine, but the other half just didn't trust him. Hell, beyond her family, Rachel was having a hard time putting her trust in anyone. Kurt, no matter what he said, would always be a memory to her.

"My answer is still no."

"Why?" he asked angrily.

The bell rang.

Rachel shrugged and stood up. "I don't trust you," she said. "I wish I could, but I can't."

She grabbed her things and left the room.

* * *

For the rest of the day, Rachel avoided Kurt. He chased her down the hall, and she used every trick in the book to not get caught. But he apparently decided to change his methods. At the end of fourth period, Rachel had her head down, trying to zip up the jacket she stole from LJ's closet, so she missed Kurt standing in front of her. She missed the two massive cups in his hand. She missed the sudden silence in the hall. All Rachel remembered was looking up and getting hit with 24 ounces of straight ice water. It wasn't as vicious as a slushy, but it still stung like a-

"Bitch," he spat. "All I've ever done is have your back. I cleaned you up after every slushy. I listened to you whine and moan about Finn, about Puck, about Quinn, about Jesse, about Santana, and about your fathers."

Kurt threw the second cup. Rachel lost her breath. Kurt tossed both cups on the ground.

"I was there for you after Jesse kicked you out of his house after you whored yourself out for a fucking solo. I was the first person you came out to and I watched you get drunk and run off with some rando in some sick sense of gay panic. I took you to the clinic to get tested. I've done EVERYTHING for you, and you turn your back on me for what? For two sluts and a prison junkie. Not to mention the two PSYCHOpaths you call siblings."

Rachel stood there, frozen. Not because of the water. Not because of his words. Not because of the silence in the halls. She was furious. Red hot rage pulsed through her veins. It was like she was back in the diner. Back outside of Puck's house with Brittany. Rachel couldn't calm herself down. Not that she gave it much thought.

She opened her eyes, ignoring the sting of the water, and clenched her fists. Several students stepped back as she started to tremble. Not only had Kurt outed her secrets, but he also insulted her family. She didn't scream at him. She wanted to, but she didn't. Something inside of her broke. She laughed.

Kurt's face shifted into confusion. Rachel tipped her head back and laughed so hard she felt it in her stomach.

"Dude, I think you broke her," someone whispered.

"She was already broken, fucking psycho," someone else muttered.

That snapped Rachel out of it.

She glared at the student and hissed, "I was never broken. I was hurting. I was embarrassed because you and the people of this town seem to think that if someone isn't a jock or a cheerleader, they're a loser and should be treated as such. You all think you know the story, know what happened that night, but none of you were there. None of you heard what he said. None of you saw what he did. But the moment a good enough reason gets whispered in your ears and settles in your tiny brains, you run with it like the group of Forrest Gumps you are. So don't FUCKING push me, because I promise that if you want to end up like the man in the diner, I can arrange it."

The student paled and wet himself in the hall. Rachel turned her eyes to Kurt, who was standing there, stock-still. He tried to step away, but Rachel was faster. She kicked out legs. He dropped to his knees. Rachel snaked her hand through his hair and held on tight. He winced.

She whispered in his ear, "Once word reaches the two sluts, the prison junkie, and the two psychopaths I call my siblings, you'll be tied to the flagpole with your dick in your mouth."

She leaned up and looked Kurt in the eyes. She released his hair and he took off on a dead sprint. Only to run right into a wall of red and white.

"Let him through," she said to them.

The girls parted very hesitantly, but their angers turned to concern when they looked over Rachel's shoulder. She sighed. She already knew who it was.

"I assume you want to see me in your office?" she asked.

The person placed their hand on her shoulder and said, "Actually, I think it'd be best if you just went home, Miss Berry. I'll let your fifth and sixth period teacher know."

Rachel shrugged off Figgin's hand. She made her way through the parted crowd and didn't break her stride when she saw Sue and Emma standing in the front office. Santana and Quinn tried to catch up but she didn't stop for them.

"Rachel?" Sue called out. "Rachel! Where are you- what the hell is going on?"

There was a pause.

"What happened to her?"

"Kurt threw ice water on her. She...snapped," Quinn said.

"I think you all better let her go," Emma said.

Rachel pushed so hard on the doors it echoed. She walked straight to her car and drove. She passed the new house Leroy managed to find, where her siblings were recovering. Rachel drove past Hiram's house, her childhood home. She drove past the church, past the diner, past Emma and Sue's house. She just drove and didn't stop, until she reached the park outside of town. She parked and got out of the car. She made her way into the clearing and sat down on a bench.

And she screamed.

* * *

Leroy found her an hour later. He told the rest of them to wait. He knew where she'd go. It was where she went when things got too much. He walked through the grass, bag in hand, and he sat on the opposite side of the bench. Rachel barely lifted her head, but she grunted an acknowledgement. He unpacked the pasta, the breadsticks, and the salad. He fixed her food the way she liked and sat it in front of her. He pulled out the wine, poured a healthy amount in two glasses, and waited.

Sure enough, she lifted her head and started eating. He nodded and ate as well. The two ate in silence, not a word was spoken, and when she finished the wine, he refilled her glass.

"I thought you didn't want me drinking," she muttered.

"We both know you're as much of a lush as I am. It would be fruitless to stop you," he said.

Rachel snorted. They went back to silence. Leroy finished off the breadsticks and reached back down into the bag. He placed a large slice of chocolate cake between them and placed her fork on her side of the table. He wasted no time in eating. Rachel ate with him until there was only icing left. Leroy grimaced and threw the rest in the bag. She and her father shared the love of cake but hated the icing. Rachel wiped her mouth. She tapped her fingers on the table and sighed.

"When I was sixteen, I had sex with Jesse so I could win a solo. Kurt was the only one who knew."

Leroy said nothing.

"Two weeks later, I came out to Kurt. He took me to a bar that was notorious for letting underage drinkers in, I panicked about being a lesbian, and let some random guy take me home. I ended up having to get tested a few days later and was diagnosed with an STI. It cleared up fairly quickly, and that was the end of it."

Leroy just raised his eyebrow, but still said nothing.

"I'm in love with Santana and Quinn, but I'm having a hard time fitting into their dynamic and they're having a hard time adjusting to mine."

Leroy drank from his glass.

"Puck's father is a sick and twisted individual that I dream of killing."

Leroy inclined his head. Everyone knew that.

"I hate you."

That was what he was waiting for. He sighed and put his hands on the table.

"You took away my voice," she said. "You stopped singing with me. You let him take your voice away and in return, you took mine. You stopped coming to my rehearsals, my recitals, and you stopped taking me to see musicals. You stopped sneaking me downstairs at midnight to watch a movie just because I couldn't sleep. You stopped playing the piano and trying to get me to guess the song. You TOOK MY VOICE FROM ME!"

Leroy reared back when Rachel slammed her palms on the table.

"I HATE YOU FOR LOVING HIM! FOR STAYING WITH HIM! I HATE YOU FOR MAKING ME GO TO SEATTLE! I HATE YOU FOR HAVING LJ AND TORI! I HATE YOU FOR NOT BEING MY BIOLOGICAL DAD! WHY-

She stopped and screamed again. Leroy rushed across the table and grabbed her. They fell into the grass, but it didn't matter. He just held her.

"Why couldn't you have picked me?" she cried. "You never picked me. It was always him. It was always him. You never stood up for me."

Leroy cried as he held her. He didn't know what to say. He had nothing to say. All he could do was hold her.

* * *

The sun was setting when Rachel shifted. Leroy was stiff and sore, but it didn't matter. Rachel looked at him with guilt and he shook his head.

"I'm not mad," he said. "I'm ashamed. I should have seen it."

"See what?" she croaked.

He brushed her hair from her face and sighed, "You. I kept seeing how strong you were, and I pulled away because I thought you could handle it. But I was wrong. I was so wrong."

"I'm always going to need you, Daddy. I've always needed you. You're the reason I sing," she said. "And you're also the reason I don't."

His heart broke at that.

"But you're also the reason I'm willing to try again," she said.

Leroy looked down at her in shock. "What?"

"I'll start singing again."

"You- you a-are?" he stammered. "But-

"Despite what I said, I don't hate you. I was angry. I am angry, but I'm tired of being angry. It's suffocating me. And if I don't move from it, I'll drown."

A beat of silence.

"Okay."

"Okay?"

"Yeah, baby girl. Okay."

Rachel smiled. "Cool." She sighed and added, "But you're going to have to help me with the other thing I mentioned."

"The Santana and Quinn thing?"

She nodded.

"That's easy. You three are trying to date versions of yourselves that don't exist. You're all seeing each other as the girls you were before you left. Your brains haven't caught up yet."

Rachel frowned. She opened her mouth but closed it. He was right.

"Thanks," she said. "That… unfortunately helps."

"You'll be fine. I never said the love wasn't there. But it's buried beneath past memories and past hurts. Understand who you all are now, and go from there."

* * *

Later that night, Rachel sat on the bed in her new bedroom. Her father promised to get her stuff from Sue and Emma's, but he had a surprise for her. The conversation came after the plan, but she was glad he did it. The piano was beautiful, expensive, and she wondered where he got the money. She would have to ask later. He was at Sue and Emma's. He dragged LJ and Tori with him, and Rachel was alone. Which is what she wanted. She needed to figure out how to handle Quinn and Santana, and it hit her later that she'd better do it the only way she knew how.

A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts. She unlocked the door and moved to the side. Santana walked in first with Quinn behind her. She closed and locked the door once they were inside.

"This is…nice."

Rachel rolled her eyes goodnaturedly at Santana. "I know it looks like shit," she said.

"We can have a paint party this weekend," Quinn said.

"Fine, long as it's not pink," Rachel said.

Santana nodded in agreement. Quinn pointed to the piano.

"I thought Hiram sold your piano," she said.

"Daddy recently came into some money and bought a new one." Rachel glanced at Santana, who kept a straight face. Rachel added, "Whatever he did, I'm glad he did."

Rachel walked over to the piano and sat down. She pointed to the bed and they got the hint. Rachel had no idea what she wanted to say, but she figured a song would help. She played the keys and forced down that initial rejection that usually came with singing. Instead, she thought about the first time she knew she loved Santana. The song was nothing like she was used to, but she heard it while unpacking and knew it was exactly how she felt about Santana.

_I remember all of the things that I thought I wanted to be_

_So desperate to find a way out of my world and finally breathe_

_Right before my eyes, I saw my heart, it came to life_

_This ain't easy, it's not meant to be, every story has its scars_

Santana was her vicious one. Quinn was cold, but Santana was like pure fire when she was angry. She'd said so many things to Rachel that made her cry the night away, but Rachel knew when it was coming from hate and when it was coming from fear. Santana had a bad habit of hiding behind vitriol when she was scared. A habit Rachel was tempted to rip to shreds.

_But when the pain cuts you deep_

_When the night keeps you from sleeping_

_Just look and you will see that I will be your remedy_

_When the world seems so cruel_

_And your heart makes you feel like a fool_

_I promise you will see that I will be_

_I will be your remedy_

It was something Rachel understood. She did the same thing. But hers was distant, impassive, and it took her out of the emotions. Santana just fully twisted hers and gave in, saying things she knew would hurt the other and push them away so she didn't have to deal with loving someone who could be gone. Again.

It all stemmed from her mother.

Santana lost someone that meant the world to her. And her father refused to acknowledge the damage it did. Rachel glanced at Santana and saw the girl was frozen solid. Quinn looked between the two of them, and recognition dawned on her face. She simply looked at Rachel, and for the first time, Rachel saw that Quinn knew she understood.

Rachel turned back around and skipped to the end of the song. She slowed down the song more than it already was.

_When the pain cuts you deep_

_When the night keeps you from sleeping_

_Just look and you will see I will be, I will be_

_When the world seems so cruel_

_And your heart makes you feel like a fool_

_I promise you will see that I will be, I will be_

_I will be your remedy_

Rachel couldn't live without Santana, no matter how much she tried. In fact, Santana was the first one she fell in love with. She was her foil, but she was her strength, her peace, and her headache. Rachel was full-on ready to confess her undying love to Santana when the weirdest thing happened.

She saw Quinn. Not the HBIC, but the real, Quinn. The dork, the goofball, the sweetheart. She was the one who melted Rachel while Santana riled her up. They both made her weak in so many different ways. And then, she fell in love with her too. Her heart had split in half and went two separate ways, but came together in one single conclusion:

She couldn't live without either of them.

Rachel closed her eyes and changed the song. Her tears fell on her fingertips, but she ignored them. The song was hard to do without a drum, but Rachel had been playing the song for a while, just never performed for anyone. Especially not the person she arranged it for.

_I see you when you're down and depressed, just a mess_

_I see you when you cry, when you're _shy,_ when you wanna die_

_I see you when you smile, it takes a while, least you're here_

_I see you, yes, I see you_

She let herself smile. Quinn was the enigma. The wild one. The one who dealt with never being good enough, but always being above the rest. She was the one who pushed herself to be the better person but tore people down to make sure it stayed that way. She searched for attention in everything, but Rachel saw her each time. She always saw her.

_I see you when you hide, and when you lie it's no surprise_

_I see you when you run from the lie within your eyes_

_I see you when you think that I don't notice all those scars_

_I see you, yes, I see you_

There was always that one flicker in Quinn's eyes when someone touched a nerve or touched a heart string. Always that desire to flee. Rachel cocked her head and lowered the pitch. It wasn't that she couldn't hit the note, but she always started crying when she got to the end.

_Even when you cry and even when you're shy_

_You mean everything to me_

_Even when you lie and even when you hide_

_You mean everything to me_

_I see you_

_Yes, I see you_

_I see you_

_Even when you cry and even when you shine_

_Yes, I see you_

Rachel stopped the song and exhaled.

"Oof!"

Rachel hit the floor hard with two bodies on top of her. She groaned as someone's elbow dug into her stomach. Santana's head popped up first, followed by Quinn. They were both crying, and Rachel felt immensely uncomfortable with the emotions welling up inside of her. She had hoped they would let her speak first, but that was obviously not the case.

"You sang," Quinn whispered.

Oh, that's why they were looking at her like that.

"I missed your voice," Santana said.

"Me too."

Rachel nodded slowly. "As much as I love having you on top of me, this position is painful," she wheezed.

They pulled her off the floor. She groaned and stretched out her back before she was unceremoniously pushed onto the bed. Santana and Quinn stripped off their hoodies and shoes before they climbed into bed with her. She wanted to ask about their day, but they weren't giving her a chance. The two wrapped around her. Rachel figured they needed the touch. Which was really sweet but also-

"Stop thinking so loud," Santana said.

"How did you know?"

"Because I can feel your heartbeat."

"And I can see your jaw clenching," Quinn said.

"You all aren't saying anything other than me sing-

"Baby," Quinn interrupted. "If you want our raw reactions, you're not going to like them. Okay?"

Rachel frowned but also blushed at the term of endearment.

"What Quinn meant to say was that you're not going to like them because we won't be able to explain ourselves afterward."

"Huh?"

"Just…hush and let us hold you. Please?"

"Fine."


	32. Chapter 32

Rachel sat in the nook by her bed. The moonlight illuminated the sleeping forms of Santana and Quinn. Rachel wrapped the blanket around herself and smiled. She wouldn't admit it to anyone, but she always assumed Santana was the big spoon. It was fairly obvious the girl was only putting on the dominant act for a show. Rachel looked out of her window.

The town was so quiet, so still.

"Why are you awake?"

She turned slightly.

"Culdn't sleep."

Quinn cocked her head. She patted the space Rachel once occupied, and Rachel slowly climbed back into bed. Quinn pulled Rachel down onto the mattress and brushed some hair from her face as she hovered over her. Even with tousled hair and sleepy eyes, Quinn made Rachel's heart leap into her throat.

"What's wrong?" she whispered.

The bed shifted, and Rachel nearly melted into a puddle when lips pressed against her ear. Quinn had a secret smile on her face and Rachel swallowed the whine that wanted to break free.

"How long have you two been awake?" she muttered.

Santana's sleepy chuckle echoed through Rachel's body and sent shivers down her spine. "The moment you got out of bed. Quinn got impatient," she said.

"We both did," Quin corrected.

"What makes you think something's wrong?" Rachel asked.

"Because we heard you thinking the entire time," Santana said.

Quinn ran her index finger down Rachel's cheek and bent over, pressing a soft kiss to Rachel's nose. "There are many things we aren't. Observant is not one of them," she whispered.

Santana's arm snaked around her waist and somehow, Quinn slipped her leg between hers. It was a tangled mess of limbs and blonde hair mixed with black and brunette. Rachel was in Heaven and Hell. She caught her breath at the sheer amount of intimacy radiating from two girls she used to drool over, and she allowed herself to relax.

"Are you two always this-

"Affectionate?" Santana guessed. At Rachel's nod, she added, "Only at night and when we're alone. Why? Is it too much?"

Rachel shook her head. "No. I just don't have much experience with it," she admitted.

"Neither did we at first, but we learned. Figured what the other person liked and disliked. It came naturally after a while," Quinn said, getting Rachel's attention.

She had to figure out the dynamics between them before she gave herself whiplash. Somehow, Quinn read her mind and shifted so that she was fully on top of Rachel. The sensation of Quinn on her chest and Santana's breath on her neck brought up feelings Rachel wasn't exactly ready to deal with, if only because she wanted to talk to them first before they took that step.

"I don't know how to do this," she blurted.

"What do you mean?" Santana murmured.

"This. This is hard. Not because it's you two, but because it's you two. I just…

Rachel trailed off. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"I didn't sing for you because I felt like that's what you guys wanted from me. I sang for you because, in many things, I'm very vocal, but in this, I can't always explain what I mean. The words get trapped in my brain and the only way they come out is through song. In this, though, I wanted to try and be as clear as possible."

She placed one hand on Quinn's back and twisted her other hand up, placing it just under Santana's chin, but she didn't look at either one of them as she closed her eyes.

"I love you both more than I thought possible. I also know that coming into a relationship already determined will be challenging. I want it known that I am not here to love one of you more than I love the other. I am here to love you both equally and in the ways that you need of me. I hope that we can come to a place where words will not be needed, and that actions will be more than enough to satisfy whatever desires, needs, and wants we have of the other. I trust you both, but I ask you to give me time to adjust."

Silence.

Rachel peeked open her eyes and found Quinn looking at Santana, who was looking at Quinn. Some sort of silent conversation passed before Santana turned to Rachel.

"We have to tell you something," she said. "Though I could've sworn we mentioned it before."

"But we have no problem repeating it," Quinn said.

"You are not entering a determined relationship, or whatever you said. You are completing it," Santana said slowly.

"I don't understand."

"I love Santana, I really do, but she's not _it_ for me. And I'm not _it_ for her. We've always been tiptoeing around the issue, simply because we never wanted to confront the fact that we were only two sides of a triangle. It's hard knowing that you're not someone's everything, but you will be once you add that missing piece. If that makes sense," Quinn said.

"You're our _it_," Santana sighed. "Our missing piece. The completion of our triangle. Without you, Quinn and I will be content, but we'll never be happy."

Rachel frowned. "I'm still not getting it," she said, annoyed with herself.

Quinn bit her bottom lip and shifted on top of Rachel. "To be blunt-

"Because there really is no other way to say it-

"And we really don't want you to think we don't have feelings for each other, because we do-

"But again, there really is no other way-

The two stopped their yo-yo speak and said together, "I can't be with her without you."

Rachel's eyes widened.

"Oh."

"The idea of trusting you and being patient with you is guaranteed. We have all the time in the world with you as we are not planning on going anywhere. You're the center, we're the planets that gravitate towards you occasionally stopping to pass one another. While you were gone, we had no center, so naturally, we gravitated towards each other more often. With you here, the balance is obvious and we're happy. I know that Santana will always be mine, and I will always be hers, but being yours is immensely more satisfying for us both," Quinn said.

Rachel turned red. She had no idea how to respond to any of it. Quinn and Santana seemed to notice because they both, thankfully, changed the subject.

"What are we going to do about Puck's Dad?"

Though, Rachel wished it was to something different.

"Let's ask the group in the morning," she sighed.

The two nodded and instead of moving, Quinn laid her head down on Rachel's chest while Santana curled into Rachel's side. She smiled and closed her eyes. That time, she had no problem going to sleep.

* * *

The next morning, Rachel, Quinn, Santana, and the Berry Brigade sat around a brand-new kitchen table with hot plates of food in front of them. Well, everyone minus Rachel. She ate her fruit in peace and was content to watch everyone enjoy. Not that the smell of bacon didn't cause her willpower to weaken, but because she didn't want to be sluggish for the rest of the day. Rachel preferred to eat meat after ten a.m.

LJ jumped up to get more food, but unfortunately, Tori got up at the same time. The two bumped into each other, knocking into Santana, whose arm jerked. Rachel yelped as she was hit with a large amount of hot coffee.

"Hot, hot, hot, hot," Rachel hissed.

She stripped off her shirt without thinking.

"Are you okay?" Leroy asked.

He came over and other than red skin and a desire to take an ice bath, she was fine.

"What are those tattoos?" Santana asked.

"What tattoos?" Rachel asked.

"The ones on your- you know what tattoos!"

"I like the animals," Rachel lied.

"Unhuh."

Rachel shifted the conversation to Puck's father. "How are we handling Puck's father?"

Tori cleared her throat and looked between the group.

"I have a plan, but it needs to happen tonight."

* * *

Santana made her way down the hall. She found Puck at his locker. He turned to her and she nearly faltered in her steps. He had a massive black eye and was sporting it proudly, but she saw the look in his eyes. She clenched her fists, nodded slightly at him, and kept walking. She ducked into the empty chemistry lab and waited. Soon enough, Puck walked in and locked the door.

"You know, if Rachel knew you were meeting me in the same room we used to fuck in, I think she would have a problem with it," he said.

"Why did you go home?" she asked.

"To get my stuff. He met me at the stairs, knocked me around, and threw my stuff onto the yard. I'm fine," he said.

"No, you aren't. Which is why I want to know how attached you are to your father?" Santana asked.

Puck snorted. "As if you have to ask," he said.

"Good. Don't be home tonight," she said.

He looked at her. He seemed to understand. "What about my Mom and sister?" he said.

"That's up to you if you take them with you or not. You have one chance, but just so you know, some members of the Glee club showed up to Rachel's new house this morning before school. They were dropping off house warming gifts."

"So?"

"The only people who knew about the house were us, Sue and Emma. Plus, the realtor."

She saw the cogs turning in Puck's head. He slumped forward.

"My Mom," he guessed.

Santana unlocked the door, but looked him in the eyes. "You have a family, Noah. A real one that will always protect you and love you and get on your nerves. Whatever decision you make, we will support you. But please, just don't be home tonight," she whispered.

* * *

LJ, Tori, and Puck were at the movies while Rachel was on the other side of town helping her father move into their new home. Santana was having a rare dinner with her father. Quinn was at the hospital with her mother. Sue and Emma were out at Breadstix, having a date night.

With that said, how could two people be sneaking through the Puckerman kitchen after picking the lock of the modest family home? How could they stalk up behind a passed-out drunkard, knives in hands, and masks on their faces? How could they slit his throat and set him on fire as they move through the home? How could they set fire to the curtains, the carpet, and other flammable things?

Those are the questions the police would ask as they investigate the arson and murder. They would find three bodies, but they would all be burnt to a crisp. DNA would somehow prove that the three bodies were what remained of the Puckerman family. Noah Puckerman would be informed and would be questioned endlessly, but with a large group of people seeing him at the theater, they would have nothing else to ask.

Puck would move in with Sue and Emma, "temporarily," and the case would be closed. Cold and not a lot of people looking into it.

But if someone looked a little closer, they would've noticed the DNA was fabricated, that only one person died that night. Unfortunately, it wouldn't matter, as a mother and daughter duo, both with freshly dyed hair, new contacts, and two new passports, would be well on their way to Vancouver. No one would ask how they got the documents so quickly.

Puck then would lay down in his new bed, down the hall from his new honorary parents, and silently pray that Marlene and Hannah Forest would find peace with their new start while being forever grateful at the chance to have his.


	33. Chapter 33

**Hello all, I tried getting this out to you guys a couple of days ago, but as we all know, the coronavirus has severely altered a lot of our routines. With that said, I am in isolation and I'm well. I hope everyone is taking this seriously and following the rules of their respective states, countries, and health leaders. Keep washing your hands. Spray down your phones and doorknobs. Stop going out unless you absolutely have to. Most importantly, stay safe. **

**Love you all,**

**RCV**

* * *

**Saturday**

Quinn rolled Judy out to the parking lot. The nurses all waved. The doctors, that weren't in surgery, smiled and said goodbye. It was weird. Judy was apparently the perfect patient.

"Your mother is such a sweetheart…"

"Your mother tells the funniest jokes…"

"Your mother is the smartest woman I've met, and I went to Harvard!"

Her mother this, her mother that, it was all so mind-blowing. Quinn couldn't believe the amount of people who fell in love with her mother after the last month. It wasn't that Quinn didn't believe her mother was decent, the woman was just antiquated and too traditional to understand that things had changed. At least, that was the woman that Quinn knew. Despite all the pain and drama from the last several weeks, Quinn still couldn't bring herself to fully trust in her mother.

Sure, she sent divorce papers to Russell. Sure, she stopped scowling every time Santana came around. Sure, she made an effort to understand Quinn's relationship with Rachel.

But there were still moments where the old Judy would rear her ugly head and it would set them back a few days. Which is why Quinn was taking a chance and sending Judy with Puck, who needed a mother, and Judy, who needed to spend time with a product of another abusive household. It was drastic, but Quinn and Puck both hoped it would jumpstart the change needed for Quinn to finally have the relationship with her mother she always wanted.

"It's nice to know the sun hasn't stopped shining since I've been in here," Judy sighed.

The color had finally returned to her cheeks. She still had faint marks on her skin, a cane laying across her lap, and there were still moments where Judy couldn't quite remember who Quinn was, but considering the alternative, everyone took the small progress for what it was.

"Honey, are you sure Puck is okay with this?"

"Yes, Judy," Quinn sighed. "He's already said it's fine. Plus, he lives with Sue. It'll be good for you to get out of the house and interact with someone who isn't Russell."

"Quinn," her mother warned.

"Sorry."

"I just don't want to be a burden. I already feel like an invalid."

"You're stuck in a wheelchair for the next six months. What else would you call it?" she teased.

Judy sniffed and held her chin high. "I like to think of this as a minor setback," she said haughtily.

Quinn snickered. "Sure."

Puck's pickup came to a stop in front of the duo. After the deaths of his family, Quinn was shocked to see Puck turn into a new man. Literally. No weird mohawk, no jeans, no leather, and his sexual habits had stemmed down so far, she would classify him as…celibate. It was terrifying in the best way. If she weren't madly in love with Santana and Rachel… she'd go back down that path in a heartbeat.

Puck snapped his fingers in front of her face. She looked him up and down. Polo, khakis, loafers, and he hadn't shaved that morning.

"You look cute," she joked.

"I had a job interview down at the gym. Figured I should look halfway decent," he said.

"It worked." She leaned forward and playfully took a big sniff. "And you don't smell like weed and sex. Another good sign," she said.

Puck shot her a look. "Can I take your Mom now or do you have more teasing to get out of your system?" he said dryly.

"She is all yours. Just make sure she doesn't get into any Merlot. The woman is hard enough to deal with sober. Put some wine in her veins and she becomes downright intolerable. Plus, her medication."

"She is sitting right here you know!" Judy exclaimed.

"She could've easily been in an Uber," she said pointedly.

Judy scowled, but there was no malice behind it. Quinn bent down and kissed her mother on the forehead. Judy's breath caught, but Quinn pretended not to notice. Puck gently pushed her to the side.

"I'll see you tonight," he said.

"Make sure she takes her meds. I don't care if you have to clamp her mouth shut and force them down her throat."

"I got it, I got it," he said, exasperated. "Just go. Your Mother and I want to gossip about you in peace."

Quinn rolled her eyes. Judy let out a soft laugh and for a moment, Quinn hesitated in leaving. Judy noticed and she waved her off.

"Go on. I know you have a…date with the…girls, but I'll be fine."

The pauses were barely there, and Quinn appreciated the effort.

"Thanks, Judy. Later."

Quinn walked away from her mother and Puck, despite a part of her wanting to turn around. She just kept walking.

* * *

Sue stared at the pieces of wood in front of her. It was chaos. Pure. Chaos.

"Oh, honey," Emma whispered.

She glared at Emma, who was obviously showing, with no short amount of annoyance.

"Can't we just put the creature in a basket or something?"

"Did you just call our child a creature?"

"You won't let me know if it's a boy or a girl."

"Now it's _it_?"

Sue's right eye twitched and Emma laughed. She walked into the room and put her hands on Sue's back.

"Sweetheart, why are you trying to build this now?"

"Because who knows what'll happen in a month? I'd like to have the crib ready at least. Even if I'm not ready to be a father."

Emma snorted. "Why on Earth would you be the father?" she asked.

"Come on, I'm the most masculine person in this house."

"Puck lives with us now."

"I stand by my statement."

Emma smacked Sue on the shoulder. Sue looked down at Emma with a half-smile, the same smile that made Emma run from Will straight into her arms.

"Do you remember how we met?" Emma asked softly.

"Like it happened yesterday."

"And do you remember how angry Will was?"

"Like it happened ten minutes ago."

"If anyone would've told me I'd fall in love with an ornery, rude, sarcastic cheerleading coach with government clearance higher than the President, I would laugh and give them one of my brochures."

"Ornery?"

"That's what stuck out to you?"

"We both know I'm not going to confirm or deny the end of that sentence."

Emma rolled her eyes and grabbed Sue's hands. She placed them on her stomach. Sue's demeanor softened and Emma kissed Sue's nose.

"You're not going to be the father. Our children will be just fine without gender roles. Long as we love them and keep them safe, everything else will fall into place."

"I know. And I think that- wait, did you just say children?"

"Did I? I don't recall. Pregnancy brain and all that." Emma kissed Sue before she took a step back and looked around the room. "Hope you finish this by the time I go into labor," she added.

"Wait, Emma-

"Have fun. I'm going to go greet Puck and Judy."

"Emma!"

Sue was left standing in the middle of the room, instructions in one hand and a hammer in the other, but all she could think about was the fact that Emma said children.

As in plural.

As in more than one.

* * *

Quinn stopped short when she entered Leroy's house and found Rachel sitting on the couch with an ice pack on her face. Santana was nowhere to be seen.

"What in the world happened to you?"

She pointed to the side as LJ and Tori came into the room, both with bruised knuckles, but no marks on their faces. LJ walked to Quinn while Tori sat next to Rachel and handed her some pills.

"Rachel and Santana got jumped walking down the street. They were at the park while you were at the hospital."

"Where's Santana?"

"Upstairs in the shower. A couple of Cheerios and jocks doing their usual blame game. The jocks held onto Santana while the Cheerios…honestly, they didn't get that far. Tori and I followed them to catch something embarrassing. When we saw what was going down, we jumped in pretty quick, but someone got a hit in on Rachel. Naturally, Santana lost her mind. We scrammed before the police got there, but the damage was done. One of the jocks had a broken nose and the other probably won't walk the same. We gave Leroy a heads-up and he said he'll take care of it."

Quinn ran her hands over her face. "Why is it that this town seems to think Rachel is the cause of their problems?" she sighed.

"Probably because Rachel is the only one in this town who's always stayed true to what she believes and her values. She hasn't succumbed to any outside influence beyond the norm. She represents what no one in this town has anymore: humanity."

"It was rhetorical," she said wryly. There was a pause. "Honestly, I'm tired. Tired of this town, tired of waiting for something to happen."

"Do you have a plan?"

"Does it involve bloodshed?" Tori asked.

"I…maybe? I doubt it. But Spring Break is in a month. Why don't we dip out then and start over somewhere else? All of us. Sue, Emma, Puck, Judy, you guys, Leroy. We get the fuck out of this town."

"Dad just bought this house, so it'll take a lot to convince him," LJ said.

"He can still keep it. He has more than enough money to cover this and another house somewhere else."

"Somewhere like Seattle?" Santana said, appearing at the bottom of the stairs.

She was Rachel's clothes, and Quinn found it the best of both worlds. Santana walked over to Quinn, kissed her cheek, and dragged her to the couch. Tori gratefully slid to the side so all three could sit together.

"Seattle would be a good choice. We have friends there, family, and the city life is a hundred times as exciting as Ohio," Tori said.

"I'm so down. There's nothing left for me here," Santana said.

"But your Dad-

"Can rot in Hell," Santana finished. "I'll be fine. I've been without him for the last eight years."

"But will the adults go for it? They have lives here, jobs, and Emma's about to give birth," LJ said.

"Emma has about two more months before she can't get on a plane. If we're going to do it, now's the time. If we wait, we'll have another four months. Then we'll have to worry about the babies," Quinn said.

"Babies?" LJ repeated.

"Sue's going to freak," Rachel said.

"Emma knows, which is why she hasn't said anything."

"Got it."

"Also, Leroy and Sue can find a job anywhere."

"What about Puck and Judy?"

Quinn chewed on her lip. "It would be hard to convince my Mom to leave, but you leave that to me. Puck would go for it. He would love to get away from this town as much as we would. It's only bad memories for him."

The group looked at each other in silence.

"Are we really looking into this?" Rachel asked.

LJ and Tori shrugged.

"Seattle's home for us, so naturally, we're down," LJ said.

"I'll go wherever you two go," Santana said.

"I just want to be safe in my own city," Rachel sighed.

Everyone looked at Quinn. She smiled.

"Let's fucking do it."

* * *

Santana, Rachel, and Quinn laid out on Rachel's bed later that night. It was quiet sans the TV coming from Leroy's room.

"What's Seattle like?" Quinn whispered.

"Cold, dreary, and muggy," Rachel snickered.

"Oh."

"I'm kidding. It's cold and dreary, but it's also …refreshing. The air is different. The people are different. There are museums, coffee shops, and just…it was a good change of pace for me. I know it'll be good for you both. They have a good LGBTQ scene as well, so that's parties and clubs and Pride."

"Pride sounds fun," Quinn said.

"You had me at coffee," Santana joked.

"Anything is better than Lima," Rachel grumbled.

"How's your eye, Rae?" Quinn asked.

"Still hurts. But the swelling won't be too bad. Whoever hit me had a weak punch."

"It was Gale. Stupid bitch was never the strongest one in the locker room," Santana said.

"Least I know you took care of them," Quinn said. "If I was there-

"Then you'd both be in jail for murder."

"We'd be the top bitches in there," Santana said.

"You two wouldn't last a week," Rachel snorted.

"Says who?"

"Says me."

"Oh yeah?" Quinn and Santana said simultaneously.

Rachel giggled as both of them started peppering her with kisses. She pushed them away, but not enough for the attack to stop. She gave into their assault and split her time between kissing Quinn on the neck and curling her legs around Santana. She couldn't figure out who to touch first. It was the type of problem she was more than willing to have and solved it easily by touching them both. Her hand slipped between Quinn's shirt and the other cupped Santana's ass. Both moaned in her ear and she smirked.

"See? Couldn't last a week," she whispered.


	34. Chapter 34

**Love you all,**

**RCV**

* * *

Leroy came home and barely made it through the door before his fatherly senses went off. He looked up and found his children, plus the additional ones he'd seemed to gain over the last few months, standing in the living room. Sue and Emma, as well as Judy, was there as well. He frowned and closed the door behind him. He didn't even see their cars in the driveway.

"One, hi. Two, who are all these strangers in my house?" he joked.

"We parked down the street and walked," Sue answered. "We were only following instructions."

"From who?" he asked warily.

"From them," Sue said, pointing at the children.

Specifically, his daughters and one son.

"What did you do?" he asked. "I just convinced two families not to sue for violence with the promise of paying off medical bills."

"That'll be a lot of money," Rachel said.

"I have it covered."

"Dad, take a seat. We have something we need to talk to you all about," LJ said.

"That's what scares me," he said.

Leroy locked the door and put his briefcase down on the table. He sat next to Emma and watched Quinn stand in front of the room. He glanced at Sue, who shrugged, while Emma smiled.

"Do you have any idea what's going on?" he whispered to her.

Emma winked. Leroy took that for what it was and sat back against the couch. Quinn cleared her throat and produced a folded piece of paper from her pocket.

"I will be the first to admit I never thought I would be here, at this moment," Quinn started. "Not even a year ago, I was torturing one of the girls I loved and being abused by the man I called my father."

Leroy saw Judy wince from the corner of his eye but was surprised to see Puck place a hand on the woman's shoulder in comfort. He tuned back into what Quinn was saying.

"Since then, so much has changed. I've lost so much, but I've gained even more. Lima has been my home since I was two years old. It's the only thing I know, what I remember, and I grew up disillusioned that this town would be my home forever. But after the last several months, I'm confident that is no longer the case. So, it is with great reluctance that I propose the idea of us leaving."

"Us?" Leroy repeated.

"Leaving?" Sue chimed in.

"Quinn, what is going on here?" Judy asked.

LJ and Tori rose in unison. Quinn remained standing.

"Dad," LJ said. "We want to move back to Seattle."

Leroy blinked. "P-pardon?" he stammered.

"You let us come here to keep an eye on Rachel, but it seems like the whole town is against her. We can't be everywhere at once. Hell, today is a prime example of that! Rachel can't even go up to the park with one of her girlfriends without being terrorized. Had Santana not been there…"

"Wait, what? What happened?" Emma asked.

Leroy shook his head. "Rachel went to the park with Santana. Apparently, some jocks and Cheerios decided to get a little handsy with Rachel. LJ and Tori got there in time, but Santana, unfortunately, got a couple of good hits in."

Santana finally looked up. Her face was clean, but her knuckles were so red and purple he knew the two jocks she hit would be in the hospital for a while. That medical bill was going to something serious. He waved off the questions from Sue and Emma.

"Look, we can talk about the other stuff later, but Seattle?" he said. "Are you guys nuts? We can't just up and move."

"Why not?" Tori challenged. "You have more than enough money to keep this house paid for while we're away. You're a lawyer, you can get a job anywhere, and it's not like we don't have a way to transfer schools."

"Because it's not that easy," Leroy shot back. "Are all of you in on this?"

"It was our idea," LJ huffed.

"We're not safe here," Tori argued.

"But that doesn't mean we up and move to the other side of the country," he exclaimed.

"Leroy," Emma said softly. "Listen to them."

He turned on her. "Did you know about this?!"

Emma smiled sadly. "Rachel called me two hours ago. She explained their plan, the timeline, and at first, I was just like you. I was angry at them for even suggesting something so reckless, but they're right. Lima has become a very toxic place to live." She put her hand on her belly and added, "And I don't know if I want to raise a child in this environment."

Sue kneeled in front of Emma. "Why didn't you say anything?" she asked.

Emma placed a hand on Sue's cheek. "One, I just found out. Two, I didn't know if you would go for it. You've been here for so long, the house, the car, the school," she paused and looked down at her stomach, "it seemed selfish to ask you to think of uprooting your entire life."

Sue put her hand on top of Emma's and said, "I would move to the ends of the world for you and our child. It would not be out of the question to move to the other side of the country. I can always find work. I have connections in high and low places. Anything to keep my family safe is on the table."

"There's nothing left for me here anyway," Puck said.

"Me either," Santana grumbled.

"Your Dad?" Sue asked.

Santana looked away. Sue got the hint. Leroy jumped from the couch and threw his hands into the air.

"I cannot believe this!" Leroy shouted at Sue.

"What's the real reason you're against this?" Sue replied.

Leroy ignored the questions. He looked at Judy, who was surprisingly quiet.

"Surely you can't agree with this," he asked her.

Judy swallowed and stared at her hands. "I do agree with you Leroy," she said softly. "More than you think."

"But Judy-

Judy cut off Quinn with a look before she looked to Leroy. "But I also know that they're right," she said.

"You do?" everyone but Emma said.

"When I first moved here, I expected this to be a good place to settle down with my husband and my family. But with Russell, it's only been a pain. So much pain. I'm in a wheelchair for Christ's sake! And where is my husband? Hmm? Where is he? Out gallivanting with his friends while his wife might be paralyzed for the rest of her life! Lima tore my family apart, or at the very least, showed me exactly who the man I married is. And my child," Judy's voice cracked as she took a deep breath, "my child was beaten every day since the age of thirteen. Treated like trash, like she was nothing but a ragdoll he could do with as he pleased. And I. Did. Nothing! NOTHING!"

Leroy blinked in shock. Judy covered her mouth with her hand as she trembled. The entire room was silent. Even Quinn didn't know what to say. Judy collected herself and shook her head.

"Which is why, though I don't like the way they handled this, I will be with them," she said. "No matter who I leave behind."

Leroy rubbed his face and put his hands on his hips. "I can't…I need…" he trailed off and shook his head. He left. Rachel watched him go. She stood up gingerly and held out her hand to LJ and Tori when they joined her.

"I got it," she whispered. "I know why."

The room watched her go.

* * *

Rachel found him standing in the backyard. He was staring at the mountain of dirt. She came up beside him.

"We both know this isn't about Seattle or the timing or anything of that nature. This is about Dad."

Leroy stiffened. "No, it isn't," he huffed.

"I get it, you know? Lima's your home with him. Leaving Lima would make it all real."

Leroy's eyes watered. He placed a hand over his chest. "I've only known him, and he left me like it was nothing."

"You're not the only one he left," Rachel snapped. "We had an entire conversation about this."

She had her own tears, and Leroy flinched away from her. She put her finger in his face.

"He left me too! I'm his seed. How do you think I feel? Huh?"

"That's not what I meant," he said.

"No, but it's what you said. You're not the only one he abandoned. I've only known Lima too. Yeah, I remember bits and pieces of Seattle, but this is my home. Quinn is right. We can't keep waiting around for anything else to happen. Finn is dead. Judy is probably paralyzed. Santana only has one more fight before she's arrested. Puck has no family. Lima is tearing us apart. Who's to say I won't be next? Or LJ? Or Tori? Can you really promise that we'll be okay until graduation? If we even graduate this year? We've missed so much school, they'll probably make us stay another year. Can you guarantee we'll be okay until we walk across that stage?"

Leroy didn't have anything to say. He just stood there. Rachel swiped at the tears on her cheek and stepped away from her father.

"You promised to pick me, Daddy. And I'm asking you to pick me and our family," she said softly.

* * *

Puck stood in the kitchen alone with a bottle of whiskey. Sue, Quinn, Emma, and Judy were having their own conversation. The Berry siblings disappeared upstairs, and he was positive Santana was-

"I need your help."

…standing right behind him. He found her leaning against the island.

"What's up?" he said.

"I need you to come with me," Santana said.

"Where?"

Santana scuffed her shoes on the floor. "I need some things from my house. If Leroy comes around, then we'll be leaving, and I have some stuff from my Mom that I can't…" she trailed off.

Puck nodded. "Say no more. I got you."


	35. Chapter 35

**As many of you already know, I've taken a lot of creative liberties. Especially with this story. We're going to see the Glee club next, we're going to finally meet Chase, and we're going to see just how far this ragtag family is going to go to protect one of their own. Yes, I know there's a Toujours Pur vibe to this, but there are people really out here like this.**

**Mistakes are definitely mine and I apologize.**

**RCV**

* * *

Puck stood in the middle of the foyer. He shivered.

"Why is it so cold?" he asked.

"Because no one lives here," she murmured.

They made their way to her bedroom. Santana flicked on the light and without hesitation, grabbed two bags from her closet and started packing. Puck walked around, staring at the pictures on her wall, and reached out to grab the one folded behind another. She hadn't tried too hard to hide it, but it wasn't on display either. He unfolded it and his breath caught. It was from the fall fair they used to have in middle school. He cringed at the mullet on his head and the studded bracelets on his wrists, but he smiled at Brittany and Quinn posing beside him. His eyes easily found Finn and Santana, and his heart broke. Both smiled, but there wasn't much behind it. He hadn't noticed it before, but Finn and Santana seemed…different. Finn had his arm around Santana, and she had her head on his chest.

"That was our first date."

Puck looked over his shoulder. "Wait, what?" he asked.

Santana gently took the picture from him and ran her finger over Finn's face. "His father had just passed, and I knew all too well what it was like to lose a parent. We bonded over that and I guess we just fell into it. We dated for a good year before we broke up."

"But high school? All the nicknames, the fighting…" he trailed off.

"Playing a role. Like we all were," she sighed. "I always apologized if I went too far. As did he. We kept our relationship a secret because it was something we shared. It was just us. You know?"

"And the Brittany thing?" he asked hesitantly.

Santana frowned. "I admit that was where our relationship took a nosedive. I couldn't…he really hurt me. I held onto that anger because it was way easier to feel than the pain. That night in the church-", Santana's voice cracked. The picture crumpled slightly in her grip as she continued, "When I saw him on the floor, something broke inside. I saw it in his eyes, you know? He apologized in one look. He still loved me, and I still loved him. But to see him like that hurt. He was my first love and he's gone. He's gone, Puck," she cried.

Puck held her. He had nothing to say. Just like the day of the funeral, there was nothing to say. The picture fluttered from her hands to the floor, but neither moved to pick it up. Santana cried into his chest and he fought back his own tears. There was a part of him that knew this conversation would never happen again with anyone else. Santana was not the type to have many emotional moments, but he was glad she had it with him.

* * *

Hiram sat on the porch stairs, a bag at his feet. He looked horrible. His hair had grown, matted together in some parts, and his beard was thick and dry. He had a cigarette between his lips and his eyes were empty, hollow. Headlights passed over his face and he glanced up. A BMW pulled into the driveway. Hiram stood and grabbed his bag. He tossed the cigarette into the grass and got into the car.

* * *

Leroy walked down the street with Sue.

"Chase Miller is in town," she said suddenly.

Leroy sighed. "I figured as much," he said.

Sue put her hand on his arm, and they stopped. "How?" she asked.

"A car was following me. It's partly why I took so long to get home earlier. I had to lose them in the woods."

"Leroy, if he's in town-

"I know, Sue," he interrupted.

Silence.

"Why aren't you own board with going to Seattle?" she sighed.

They started walking again. Leroy put his hands in his pockets. "Hiram, but my child pretty much gave me little choice in the matter. I don't blame her though. Now, however, I'm down for it. I could use a good break of routine."

"It's not a vacation."

"It's a break from my routine of holding out hope Hiram will come back."

"Leroy…"

"I know, I know. It was stupid, but I love him. I don't think that'll ever completely go away. The conversation tonight put me in the position where I had to pick him or my kids. The answer came pretty quickly after that."

"So, you're completely down for moving?" she asked.

"Not completely. I need to know what comes next. Job, stability, house, schools, and all the other aspects of uprooting again. This isn't something we can just do at the drop of a hat."

"Talk to Quinn. She apparently did some deep diving into law firms out there and managed to find a few you might like. Santana got her your resume, and she sent it out."

Leroy pinched the bridge of his nose. "I regret giving that girl my password," he grumbled.

"As if she needed it. I know that girl is dangerous with a computer. She can find any and everything, as well as anyone. Her mother was the same way. Tech savant. Santana followed in her mother's footsteps. That girl thinks she's keeping her little habits a secret, but I have my own secrets."

"We all know you have your secrets, Sue."

They shared a laugh, but it died off shortly after. Leroy slid his arm into Sue's and she sighed.

"We're being followed, aren't we?" she asked.

"I'm afraid so, my friend. I'm afraid so."

Three men picked up their speed. Leroy and Sue prepared for whatever would come next.

* * *

Santana and Puck rode down the street, her bags in the back.

"Hey, isn't that-

"Yeah," Puck said.

He pulled over to the side and rolled down the window. Santana opened the door and slid to the side.

"Get in," she said to Leroy and Sue, keeping her eyes on the men.

Leroy and Sue made their way through the men, who offered little resistance, and Santana sat in Sue's lap as Leroy shut the door. Puck glared at the men before he drove off. He took the street opposite the way he would go back to Leroy's.

"Go back to my house," Santana ordered. "And park in the back."

Puck followed her instructions.

"Why are we going to your house?" Leroy asked.

"Did I forget to mention I'm really good with faces?" Santana said.

Realization hit.

Leroy made an 'oh' face and said nothing else.

* * *

"Where are they?" Rachel asked. She paced the living room in front of the others. No one heard from Santana, Puck, Leroy, or Sue, and they were starting to get worried.

"Sue and Leroy were just out for a walk. They should be back by now," Emma said.

"Santana and Puck just left," Quinn said. "Without saying anything, so who knows where they are."

The door opened and everyone turned to see the people in question come inside. Puck locked the door and peaked out of the blinds. He shut the curtains.

"Where the hell have you guys been?" Quinn exclaimed.

"Miller's in town," Puck said.

"He sent some people after Leroy," Santana added.

"Why?" LJ asked. "Why do they want him?"

"It's not him they want," Sue said.

"Then who?"

"It's me," Rachel said. "Isn't it?"

Leroy put his hands on his hips and looked up at the ceiling. "It's stupid. It's all so fucking stupid! Hiram and his fucking family think purity is so fucking important. It's like a damn Harry Potter movie with them. Blood this, skin color that, religion this. When they found out about Rachel, there was little to no interest in her. They couldn't summon enough love in their hearts to care about her. But the moment that fucking family realized who Shelby's grandfather was, they wanted her. It's all about money for them, money and power and elitism. That's all it's ever been about. They want Rachel so they can claim the money Shelby never did. Chase is acting on his Dad's behalf and Hiram, that selfish prick, is going along for the ride so he can get back into good graces with his family."

Silence reigned in the room. Then everyone started talking at once. Sue whistled and the group settled down. She pointed at Tori.

"Hiram signed Rachel to you, so they have no right over her," she exclaimed.

"…only if Daddy stays alive," Rachel said. "If he dies, the rights go back to Hiram."

More chaos. Rachel stared at her father. Things had finally settled into him, and he aged ten years just standing there. He looked at her with tears in his eyes. She didn't blame him, and she knew no one in there blamed him. It was just anger and fear and panic.

"We're leaving by the middle of the week!" Emma shouted. The group turned and looked at her. She had her hand on her stomach and fury in her eyes. "I will not sit around and wait for them to come here and break up the family we have," she added.

"I agree," LJ said. "We should head out tonight while we still have the chance."

"We can't," Santana said. "Not yet."

"What? Why not?" Quinn asked.

"Because Chase has some very dangerous people under his wallet. People who can find whoever they want, whenever they want, and no matter where we go, they will find us," Santana said.

"So, what, we do nothing?" Tori asked.

Santana folded her arms. "No. There's a plan, but I need you guys to trust me," she said.


	36. Chapter 36

**RCV**

* * *

Hiram walked out of the bathroom looking like a new man. Or a better version of the old one, at least on the outside. He entered the living room and took his seat at the far end of the couch. His brother came in shortly after with a note in hand. Chase took one look at Hiram and scowled.

"Brother, nice to see you haven't forgotten how to put on clothes fit for a man."

"Chase, wonderful to see you as well. I see you shaved that monstrosity off your face. You looked as if you were infested with fleas," Hiram said.

The slight tick of his jaw was the only sign Chase was annoyed by the comment.

"Enough," their mother scolded.

"Yes, Mother," they said simultaneously.

Chase stood by the fireplace and waved the paper in the air. "Your seed has sent us a letter," he said.

"Oh?"

"Dear Mister Miller, if you want to stop sneaking around in the shadows and have dinner with my father and I, we will be at Breadstix this evening at nine. Feel free to bring your family as mine will be in attendance. Contrary to popular belief, I am not so easily swayed with or by the threat of violence, so I hope you have a good enough reason for me to do what you ask. Sincerely, Rachel Berry."

Chase crumpled the letter and tossed it into the fire behind him. He rubbed his beard and Hiram hid a smirk. Rachel had called him out and forced his hand.

"How would you approach this, Hiram?" his mother asked.

Caught off guard, Hiram frowned and looked around the room. The remnants of his family, minus Chase, stared at him as if he had the answers floating around in front of him. He cleared his throat and said, "I would do as she says. I would also refrain from bringing weapons. She was serious when she said she doesn't do well with violence."

"But the man she nearly beat to death?" his sister asked. "That contradicts what you and she have both said."

"He was a mistake," Chase said before Hiram could respond. "He was only hired to scare her, not try and assault her. He deserved all that she gave him."

"You said it was a rogue member!" Hiram exclaimed.

"I say a lot of things, brother," Chase snorted.

Hiram dug his fingernails into his palm but said nothing.

"Are you saying we should go to this Breadstix then?" his mother asked.

"Yes. Just us," Hiram said.

"Very well. Then we shall go," she said. She looked at Chase and added, "As the family we are. This foolishness has gone on long enough. I don't know what you've been doing for the last several months, but all I hear are rumors of attempted murders and useless plots against her friends. Had you approached this like I told you, the girl would be where she belongs."

His mother stood and brushed down her dress. She walked up to Chase and slapped him across the face. The sound echoed in the room and Chase smartly lowered his head.

"She has been alienated from us because of your foolish beliefs. That money in her account can bring our family back into the good graces of the families that have cast us aside because of your reckless spending and public connections that only bring mud into the home. I should have never let your father give you that much power, but alas, he has a soft spot for his bastard."

Hiram winced as his mother then turned on him.

"And you! Had you just married that Shelby girl in the first place, we wouldn't be in this situation, would we? Rachel would be far away from this shit hole and you would be a decent man in the eyes of our community. But you're nothing more than a worthless, pathetic man who went and played husband to a man who probably got into that fancy law school of his because of an antiquated law that specializes in favoritism towards those with certain ethnicities. You are no better than your brother, and had your other sister been anything more than a whore, I might actually consider you my favorite."

All the siblings looked equally embarrassed and angry, but their mother didn't care. She simply sniffed and held out her hand. Hiram's youngest brother, the one who managed to escape unscathed, grabbed her hand and led her from the room. She stopped at the door and without turning around, took one last shot.

"Chase and Hiram, you two better hope this girl agrees to our agreement because if she doesn't, both of you will find your inheritance used to cover your funeral arrangements."

* * *

Puck found Tori while she was getting dressed. LJ, surprisingly, left them alone in the room. Puck closed the door and Tori, dressed in a pair of pants and a sports bra, kept her back to him.

"Come to say your peace before we die?" she teased.

"Something like that."

Tori turned and looked at him. Puck let his eyes linger on her form, taking in every inch.

"Part of me wants to punch you in the stomach, the other part is pleased," she said.

"Look, if tonight doesn't go so well, I just want you to know that I like you. A lot."

"You barely know me."

"I want that to change."

Tori slipped on a shirt and grabbed a mask from the nightstand. She walked up to him and grabbed the back of his neck. She pulled him down and kissed him. It was one of promise and mutual feelings.

"Tell me again in the morning," she whispered.

Tori left him in the bedroom and Puck did a little fist pump. He adjusted the collar of his shirt and pulled out a similar mask to Tori's. He'd bought it as a joke from the first time he saw it, but now he wondered if it would get him some cool points. Rachel came up to him. She smirked.

"Hurt her, and you will die a very painful death," she said softly.

Rachel then walked down the hall. He saw LJ run his finger across his throat, and Puck actually flinched. The Berry trio walked down the stairs together and Quinn and Santana came up to him with matching looks of sympathy.

"We got the same speech from LJ and Tori," Quinn muttered.

"I'm pretty unshakable," Santana said. "But I would never ever want to cross any of them. Ever."

"Noted."

* * *

Hiram stared at the restaurant with a sense of longing, overwhelmingly hid by a sense of disgust and regret. He and Leroy ate here often, much to Rachel's amusement, and he found it ironic that it was the same place Rachel chose to have this little meetup. It was probably Leroy's idea. Hiram heard the car pull up and turned to find his brothers, sister, and mother exit the car. He wasn't offended they didn't want to ride with him, but he was slightly embarrassed that he'd under-dressed for the occasion. He pulled at the collar of the polo shirt he wore and ignored that sneer on his mother's face. She was never happy with him, wouldn't help to start worrying about it.

"Let's get this over with," she sighed, walking straight past him.

Chase saw Hiram glance over his shoulder, and Hiram followed his line of sight. He felt anger well in his chest at the van parked just down the street. Chase chuckled and squeezed Hiram's shoulder harder than necessary.

"She'll be in the family. Even if it means I have to kill hers to make it happen," he whispered.

Hiram clenched his fists, but then relaxed. He knew it wouldn't come down to it, but he hoped…

"Nope," he said to himself. "Not going there. That's my past. I'm where I'm supposed to be."

He shook off the nerves and followed his family into the restaurant.

* * *

Rachel was losing her mind. She was backed against a warm body as Santana freely grabbed and rubbed on any body she pleased while Quinn was in front of her kissing and sucking on bare skin. It was disorienting and frustrating because she knew it wouldn't go beyond heavy petting. Santana's hand slipped between Rachel's legs and she hissed.

"What? I can't touch?" Santana whispered in her ear.

"Don't…start something…you can't finish," Rachel grunted.

Another hand snaked under her shirt and grabbed her breast. "Who says we can't?" Quinn whispered in the other ear.

Rachel bit down on her knuckle and tried not to buck into Santana's unmoving hand. Santana bit down on Rachel's earlobe while Quinn nipped down Rachel's jaw. She whimpered and her legs spread on their own accord. Traitorous bastards.

A knock on the door sounded and the hands vanished. Another knock came and she heard her father call out her name.

Rachel growled and yanked open the bathroom door. "What?" she snapped.

Leroy smiled wryly and held up his hands. "I was just telling you that the guests are here," he said.

"Fine."

Rachel slammed the door in his face. She heard him laugh and turned back to her girlfriends. They looked innocent, which pissed her off even more. She pointed at Santana and then Quinn but said nothing. She couldn't summon any words to get past the moans trapped at the base of her throat. She swallowed and spun on her heel, leaving the restroom.

Santana and Quinn fist-bumped and followed her out.

* * *

Family dinners were supposed to be fun, a little chaotic, but nice and filled with love. Not tense and on the verge of imploding at any second. On one side, a bunch of rich and stuck up socialites who felt entitled to all they believed they were worth. On the other, a ragtag group of outcasts who crave a fresh start and a stiff drink.

Or several.

"Are we just going to sit here like a bunch of mannequins or talk about something worthwhile?" Leroy said.

"Mind your tongue," Hiram's mother snapped.

"Look, you batty old witch," LJ started, but Rachel put a hand on his arm.

"How about you all go first? My group is restless and we would like to hurry this along. We have a flight in the morning," she said, which was a lie. They're flight wasn't until Thursday.

Hiram frowned. "A flight? To where?" he asked.

"That is for me and my family to know," she said smoothly.

Hiram twitched, and Chase patted his brother on the arm.

"Don't worry, brother. She won't be going anywhere but to Michigan," he said.

"Oh?"

"Indeed. Because if you don't agree to our terms, I'll take everyone you love."

"Chase!" his mother hissed.

Chase pulled out a gun and shot his mother in the head. The group was too shocked to do anything but watch as the older woman toppled out of the chair. The shock grew when Hiram's siblings all seemed relieved.

"About time one of you grew a pair," Hiram's sister grumbled.

"Agreed," the youngest chimed.

Hiram wiped the blood of his mother off his face with a napkin and took a sip of wine, hoping to hide the tremble in his body. Chase put the gun down on the table and smiled at Rachel.

"Now, what were you saying?"


	37. Chapter 37

**RCV**

* * *

Rachel was furious.

"Was I not clear in my letter?" she seethed.

"I don't care about your kumbaya nonsense," Chase said. "You seriously thought this would be solved over dry breadsticks and overcooked pasta? You can't possibly be that naïve."

"Hopeful and naïve are not synonymous," Rachel said. "I hoped you would be man enough to handle this conversation without the need of force or violence. Clearly, I was wrong."

Chase picked up his gun, tapping the barrel on the table before he pressed it against the side of his head. "Jesus. You're like a fucking Hallmark movie," he said. "What you don't seem to understand is that I'm only righting past wrongs. I'm progressing this family forward before we're wiped out and forgotten by a society that once praised us."

"Bullshit."

"Fine, I'll prove it."

Chase pointed the gun at his sister and pulled the trigger. He did the same thing for their younger brother. The only people left alive on Chase's side of the table was Hiram. The only person on Rachel's side who seemed moderately upset by the display was Leroy. The others were disturbed, but indifferent. Chase licked his lips and aimed the gun at Hiram.

"What would you do if I killed your father? Would you cry? Scream?" he asked.

Rachel looked at Hiram. There was a spark of hope in his eyes that Rachel couldn't bring herself to care about. She looked back at Chase and said, "I wouldn't shed a tear." Santana elbowed her in the side and Rachel grudgingly added, "But his DNA does run through my veins. I would be somewhat affected if he were to die tonight."

Chase laughed and put down the gun. "You have our spark," he said.

"I am nothing like you or your family," Rachel said. "I actually care about people, regardless of their insides, outsides, and personal beliefs."

"I care about people," Chase said.

"That was almost believable."

**TW for really insulting, racist bs. You can skip the italicized if it will bother you.**

_"No, you misunderstand me. I care about my people. White people. Pure people." Chase sat forward and the look in his eyes might've scared Rachel if she hadn't already seen it in the eyes of Russell Fabray, Hiram, and several of the students and teachers at the high school. Chase continued his little speech, "My family has seen every civil rights movement, subculture riot, and religious reformation America has coddled and let go on for a little too long. I've seen brothers die at the hands of gang-bangers like your little chica over there. I've watched women get brutally assaulted by monkeys parading as honorable men when they are nothing more than savages dressed in suits. I-_

**TW over**

Chase stopped when he saw Rachel's shoulders shaking. She had her hand over her mouth and was trying not to laugh.

"What the hell is so funny?" he asked, angry.

Rachel held up her finger and visibly collected herself. "Nothing. You sound like a walking propaganda from the fifties. But, no, all jokes aside, I would be very careful insulting my girlfriend. I might not be a fan of violence, but I can assure you she is. Oh, and I would refrain from insulting my father because my siblings are very protective and not afraid of going to prison," she said.

_"I'm not scared of some half-breeds and a bean picker," Chase spat._

Santana moved faster than Rachel could've anticipated. One moment, Chase was snarling like a rabid dog. The next, Santana had her hand tangled in his hair as she slammed his face against the table. His nose cracked on impact, and Santana held him down for a few seconds before she yanked his head back and looked down at him.

"Llámame asi de nuevo? Te cortaré la garganta," she hissed.

Quinn and Rachel looked at one another with the same expression.

_What the fuck…?_

Quinn shifted in her seat and Rachel remembered what happened in the bathroom only a few minutes earlier. She clenched her jaw and forced herself to look away from Quinn, and also not look at Santana. She chose to stare at Chase, which admittedly wasn't much better.

"Sé de ti," Santana said coldly. "Se todo sobre ti."

Rachel shivered at the tone. Santana released him and settled back in her seat. Chase spit blood on the table and glared at Santana.

"You'll pay for that," he threatened.

Rachel tossed him a napkin. "Was there a reason you called this meeting?" she asked flatly. "Because all you're doing is pissing me off and I'm tempted to walk out."

Chase, with his broken and bloodied nose, smiled with blood-stained teeth on fully display. "I have a proposition for you," he said.

"You're the one going off on tangents. I've been here, patiently waiting for you to explain why you've terrorized my family for the last year or so. Surely, it's not just about money. Money that I don't even have access to."

She didn't see Santana twitch in the corner of her eye nor did she see Leroy wince.

"Oh, you haven't heard?" Chase asked nasally. "The Corcoran fortune officially belongs to you as of a week ago."

Rachel frowned. "Meaning?" she asked.

"Carbon monoxide is a cruel and unforgiving killer."

"Shelby's dead?" Hiram asked.

"Cold as ice."

Rachel felt Quinn squeeze her shoulder, but she didn't know how she felt. She wasn't really upset that the woman was dead. She didn't know her well, but it would've been nice to know from someone other than Chase.

"So, you see, Rachel, you do have access to that money."

"How much?" she asked.

"Ten million dollars," Santana said, answering for Chase.

"All of this for ten million dollars?" LJ huffed.

"There's over seventy-five million dollars in that account," Chase snapped.

"There **_was_** over seventy-five million dollars. Now it isn't," Santana corrected.

"You're lying!" Chase shouted.

His fingers inched towards the gun. LJ reached over before Chase could grab it and snatched the weapon off the table.

"Thank you, LJ. I wouldn't want Chase getting trigger happy when he doesn't even know the whole story," Santana said.

"What story?" Hiram asked.

"Glad you ask, deadbeat father. You see, the Corcoran family account had about $75 million dollars about a week ago. Your idiot brother thought Shelby didn't know about the money, but she did. She chose not to spend it, not to legally claim it, because she wanted to work for her fortune. But Chase showed his hand when he started asking too many questions. Shelby took out $65 million and split it between charities across the country."

Chase's eyes widened. Santana smiled, and suddenly stood up from her seat. The atmosphere changed. It got tense, and Rachel played her part. As did the others.

Rachel folded her arms as Santana walked around the table and sat down, her back to Rachel. Puck entered from behind Chase. But he wasn't alone. In fact, he had the entire Glee Club with him. Mr. Schue was there as well, who looked as if he'd taken a beating. Santana acted as if she didn't see them and Rachel tried not to react as well.

"Enough with the lies and the games," she said. "You see, I did a little digging. You, Mr. Miller, are not in charge of a hate group nor are you really that popular amongst your community. People actually hate you and think you're a liability. You're nothing but a lackey with a gun. But I will concede that you are a member of a very dangerous, very vindictive Neo-Nazi group called 'Pure Life.' Now, with Pure Life, you have to bring something to the table to rise in the ranks. You picked show choir as your winning ticket, which is a little weird to me but no judgment. Anyway, no, this was never about the money. Not completely. This was about reputation. Rachel joining the Glee Club was the best thing that ever happened to you. One, because you knew she could sing, and because you lucked out by having an old college buddy of yours in town. Funny how life works, right?"

Puck pushed Mr. Schuester and the man stumbled forward. Chase glanced to the side and saw him, but Rachel had to admit his poker face was pretty intact. Santana sighed and shook her head.

"Good old reliable Will. Your old college roommate and an all-around decent guy who couldn't keep his temper in control. You found out about his wife and got Will drunk enough to admit on tape that he murdered her after she lied about being pregnant. You blackmailed him into making sure Rachel was the one in front. She was the one who got the best parts, the best songs, and the best treatment compared to everyone else. It was working too, until some people started to notice the favoritism. That's when you organized that group trip to Detroit. You told Will to get a specific group of people out to Michigan because you knew that jealousy is a dangerous game. So, you brought them all out under false pretenses and when they got there, it was too late. You did your research, I will admit, but so did I.

"You blackmailed the entire Glee club, a couple of jocks, some Cheerios, and a few police officers. Hell, you blackmailed almost half the town. You thought your plan was foolproof. Mercedes was black. Pretty easy how you got her to agree to your bullshit. Mike and Tina, you threatened with immigration problems for their parents. Sam would've ended up homeless. Blaine's father has a drug problem that could easily get him caught in prison for up to ten years. You went through and picked out every weakness of the Club, every student, every officer, and you put it in front of them. You made them pick between being a human being or helping you be an even bigger prick than you are now! But because you weren't up there in the top ranks, you didn't realize that Pure Life already had a connection to Rachel that you didn't," Santana said.

Chase scoffed and said, "What are you talking about?"

Santana pointed over Chase's shoulder and Rachel nearly fell out of her chair. Puck stepped to the side to reveal none other than Shelby Corcoran.

Very much alive.

Very much angry.


	38. Chapter 38

**A/N: I have not forgotten about you all! I just didn't really think through rewriting thirty+ chapters. With that said, here is a teaser, not an update. Again, this is a teaser for the entire chapter. I swear to you I'm going to finish this story. I'm on 32 right now, so I'm about three or four chapters away from being finished with the rewrite part and about two chapters away from the end. Crazy right? Okay. **

**Love you all and THANK YOU for being patient.**

**RCV**

* * *

"Hello, Chase."

"S-Shelby? You're supposed to be dead!" Chase shouted.

"My new friend here reached out to me a couple of weeks ago, told me what you were planning, and naturally, I stepped in to help. After all, it does concern my daughter. Honestly, Chase, it's the twenty-first century. I have more than one carbon monoxide detector in my home. With my friend in the police department who can keep a secret and a new friend who can arrange last minute charters to the middle of nowhere," Shelby paused and spread her arms, "I rose from the dead."

"What the hell is going on here!" Hiram shouted.

"Yeah, I'd like to know the same," Leroy said, confused.

Rachel remained silent, staring at the woman she only dreamed of meeting. Hiram remained in his seat, pale and frozen.

"What I was saying earlier was that Pure Life and the Corcoran family have a shitty history. Shelby's father was their original money lender. But when he passed, Shelby found his private account with them and shut it down. Pure Life didn't appreciate that. So, they followed Shelby, threatened her life, but she didn't budge. They couldn't kill her because they needed her alive. They were running out of options until they discovered she was pregnant. They waited all day outside of that hospital for a child that never came," Santana said.

"Wait, what do you mean by never came?" Leroy asked.

Shelby looked at Santana, who sighed and looked over her shoulder at Rachel with a weird look on her face. "I wasn't sure how to break this to you, and I figured you were going to be angry with me anyway after tonight, so why not rip it off like a band-aid?"

"What are you talking about?" Rachel asked, her eyes still on Shelby.

"Shelby never signed away her rights. Hiram forged her signature and filed the paperwork on her behalf. He paid a nurse to tell Shelby that you died in the hospital."

Rachel felt like she'd been punched in the stomach. She turned to Hiram, who was red in the face and fuming.

"You weren't ready to be a mother," he said.

"Who were you to make that decision?" she asked.

"She was our child," Hiram argued. "You agreed you would let Leroy and I have her!"

"That doesn't mean I wanted to be out of her life! Daughter or not, she is my CHILD! I gave birth to her and you TOOK HER FROM ME!"

"She was MINE!" Hiram roared. "She was better off with me! Not some recovering drug addict."

Shelby laughed in disbelief and pointed at Hiram. "It is because of you we are in this damn situation. Had you stayed in Seattle, Rachel would've been fine. But you got greedy and stopped reading the fine print on the contracts that went across your desk. You took a job offer that sent you and Leroy to the other side of the country to Columbus, Ohio where your company provided you with a house, free of charge, but it was two hours away in some small town," she said.

"It was a good deal for my family!" Hiram exclaimed. "I was doing what was best for us."

"From what I see, you're doing a shitty job at it," Shelby spat.

"Enough," Rachel said. Her voice was low, but it carried. She frowned and asked Santana, "Where are you going with this? Why was moving to Lima such a big deal?"

"Lima is one of Pure Life's biggest communities. In fact, it's one of the original three cities they settled in as a group," Santana said.

"The job offer was a ploy?" Leroy asked.

"Nope. It was a genuine offer. Pure Life had nothing to do with it."

"Until?"

Santana looked at Chase. "Until someone showed up at your house looking for their brother," she said. "And was introduced to a fiery little brunette who looked too much like the child Shelby supposedly lost."

"They didn't know about her," Leroy whispered.

"That's why you were so shocked to see me," Rachel said, her thoughts moving at a rapid pace.

Then, the pieces clicked. She stood up and clenched her fists. "This was never about the Glee Club or the damn competition." she said.

"She doesn't know what she's talking about," Chase spat. "Your little friend here is bullshitting this."

"Is she?" Rachel asked. "Because she's risked more than you think to put it all on the line. And trust me when I say I'm very tempted to be pissed at how this was played out."

Santana flinched.

"You don't want to do this," Chase warned.

"I told you before I don't like violence." Rachel climbed over the table and jumped down in front of Chase. She grabbed a butter knife off the table and placed it against Chase's throat. "How hard do you think I'll have to carve to get through your skin?" she whispered.

Chase swallowed and said, "Try it and see, but you won't live to see the end."

"Trust me, right about now that's worth the chance," she growled.

"Rachel, stop!" Hiram shouted.

"You," she hissed, looking at him. "have no right to speak to me."

Hiram held up his hands. "Look, I know you're angry, but let's talk about this before you do something you regret," he said.

Rachel jammed the knife into Chase's right eye before anyone could breathe or move to stop her. She placed her hand over his mouth as he screamed. Santana kept her eyes on Rachel, as did Quinn. LJ and Leroy looked away while Tori and Puck seemed anxious. The Glee Club were frozen in different states of shock. Rachel exhaled and shook her head.

"I am far from angry, Hiram," she said in a low voice. "I'm…indifferent. And that is much, much worse."


	39. Chapter 39

"Rachel, please," Hiram said. "I'm still your father."

"That's not what you told me several weeks ago. Or have you forgotten?"

"You've made your point. Let us go and I promise you we won't bother you again."

"Weird how I don't believe you," she said sarcastically.

"I promise. I'll take Chase and we'll disappear. We'll vanish and you'll never have to worry about us."

Rachel scoffed. "You can say that all you want, but Chase here," she said, kicking Chase in the stomach, "will go out of his way for revenge."

Hiram scrambled for a response. He looked around for help but found nothing. He had no one. It was a sobering thought.

"This isn't you. You aren't this person," he said, trying to talk his way out of it.

"I'm this way because of you! I can't trust people. I have anger issues. I'm fucked up in my head all because you wouldn't give me the fucking time of day. And when you did? You poisoned me with hatred. I can't even love my girlfriends the right way because you tainted all that I believed. Of course, I'm this way!"

"But you can change! You don't have to be like this."

"Screw you! Now you want to be a father?"

Hiram held out his hands. Rachel flinched back. "Rachel, please, find it in your heart to let us go. Please," he said.

Rachel shook her head. Hiram saw the change before she said anything. Hope rose in his chest.

"You know what? You aren't even worth it," she said, her voice so low he had to strain to hear her. "Get out of here."

Hiram bent down to grab Chase, but Rachel stopped him.

"Just you," she said.

"What?"

"Do you want to live or not?" she snapped.

Hiram glanced down at Chase. His brother grabbed hold of his shirt.

"Don't leave me, brother," Chase pleaded. "We are blood. Stay with me. Fight with me."

Hiram peeled Chase's hands off his shirt and stood up. He stepped over his brother but was stopped by Rachel's hand on his arm.

"I never want to see you again," she whispered. "Ever."

Hiram froze. Those words hit some deeper part of him. He couldn't believe it. Rachel, his child, stood there in front of her new family. She trembled with tears pouring down her cheeks. Rachel stepped away from him, right into Santana's arms, and Hiram fought the urge to reach out for her. He glanced at Leroy, who was actively staring at the table. LJ and Tori wrapped their arms around their father. Tori glared at Hiram, daring him to say something. He lowered his head and nodded to show he understood. Shelby walked up and slapped him. She left an handprint on the side of his face.

"Rot in hell, you bastard," she hissed.

Hiram held the side of his face. He stumbled through the Glee club outside into the parking lot. The van that was parked down the street was gone. Hiram made his way down the street. He had no car. No house. No family.

He was truly alone.

Hiram glanced back at the restaurant. All the guilt and regret poured from his eyes.

"What have I done?" he whispered.

Back inside, Rachel snatched a clean napkin off the table and knelt down beside Chase. She sniffed and used her sleeve to wipe away her tears. Rachel removed the knife and was somewhat glad his eye remained in his skull. She dropped the towel on his chest and he immediately put it on his eye. He glared at her through his left eye.

"You'll pay for this," he threatened.

"I already am," she said.

Chase fumbled in his pocket for a remote. He pulled it out, pressed a button, and waited. The smile on his face was smug with a mix of pain. After a few minutes, his smile faded, and Rachel took the remote from him.

"We aren't idiots, Chase," she said. "We know you would've brought help."

"Oh. Right, I forgot to mention that the police received a call about a blue van driving throughout neighborhoods with what looked like masked men behind the wheel," Puck said. "Guess Lima PD does give a fuck about justice."

Chase fumed. He sat up straight, directly into Rachel's face. She didn't flinch.

"They'll be out by morning," Chase spat. "And then we'll hunt you down until there's a bullet in your skull."

"You say that now," she said.

Rachel stood and moved out of the way. William approached with a gun in his hand. He looked exhausted. The rest of the group came together as William held a gun to Chase.

"Will? What are you doing?" Chase asked, holding up his hand to ward off the weapon.

"What I should've done a long time ago," William sighed.

Rachel turned and walked to what was left of the Glee club.

"I trusted all of you to have my back. You broke that trust. I hope the rest of your life is as miserable as you made mine," she said emotionlessly.

"We're so sorry," Tina sobbed.

"We really are," Mike added.

Rachel shrugged off the apology. "I suggest you head home for the night. You're each other's alibi," she said.

She watched the club trickle out. Kurt was the last to leave. Rachel held up her hand when he tried to speak. He got the hint and left the restaurant with his head down. The remaining family made a circle with Santana and Quinn standing close to Rachel.

"Are you sure they won't search for you after this?" LJ asked.

"They won't once they get the funds that they desperately desire," Rachel said.

"You have five million dollars just lying around?" Shelby asked.

"It was a gift from Hiram," Rachel said.

"Oh. I see."

An awkward silence fell.

"This is going to be weird, isn't it?" Tori asked. "Because now Rachel has her birth mother and adopted father, but the birth mother has so much to catch up on it might get a little territorial. Right?"

"Seriously, Tori?" Leroy sighed.

"I'm just saying. In every lifetime movie-

Puck put his finger over Tori's lips and shook his head. Tori deflated and Shelby started to laugh. The woman's laugh was infectious, and soon everyone but Tori was laughing. Shelby held out her hand to Leroy, who warily shook it.

"I'm Shelby. I promise not to become territorial with our daughter," she teased.

Leroy's eyes watered. "And I promise to let you catch up on lost time," he said.

Rachel tore her eyes away from the sight. It was too much at the moment. "We should get out of here," she said.

"My hotel is in Columbus. Mind if I spend the night with one of you?" Shelby asked hesitantly.

"We're all staying at the same house," Rachel said. "You can just stay there."

"Thank you."

"Guess we're having a sleepover," Puck said.

"With an emphasis on sleep," Leroy said.

"Agreed," Shelby replied, her yawn a testament to her statement.

"You took everything from me!" William cried out suddenly. "And because of you I have nothing left."

"If that wasn't a sign we should get the hell out of here, I don't know what is," Santana murmured.

"Let's go," Puck whispered.

The group hurried out of the building. As they pulled away from the restaurant, Rachel leaned back in the seat and trusted William to keep his end of the deal. Santana didn't go into too much detail about what would happen once the Glee club and William arrived, but she said she had a plan in place.

That was all Rachel needed to hear.

A head rested on her shoulder while a hand slipped into hers. She smiled to herself and let a brief feeling of happiness take over.

She had no idea of Pure Life would leave her alone, if they wouldn't get money hungry and demand more than what she'll give them, but she did know that she was leaving Lima behind with the people she loved more than she loved herself.

It was a step in the right direction.


	40. Chapter 40

**Yes, there will be an epilogue. **

**For the song: Rachel, _Quinn_, **_Santana_**, **Puck**, _A__ll of them_**

**Love to all of you in these chaotic times. Stay safe and spread more love. The world needs it.**

* * *

Rachel stood in the choir room and smiled to herself. Sue would kill her twice over once she found out Rachel stole her key, but Rachel would worry about that later. In that moment, all she wanted to focus on was the familiar feelings hitting her heart. The echoed laughter and cheers after they performed. The hand on her shoulder of the boy who could have been her everything in another lifetime. The group of misfits around her who, though they fought and schemed against one another, would have been her forever family if the cards fell a little differently. Mr. Schue would've been in the corners, crying, ecstatic that his ragtag collection of jocks, cheerleaders, geeks along with one stubborn diva were getting along so well.

"I think this might be the one room in this building I might miss the most."

Rachel turned and frowned at the sight of Puck, Santana, and Quinn.

"What are you guys doing here?" she asked.

"The same thing as you," Puck said, looking around the room. "Thinking about what could have been."

"What might have been," Santana added.

"And what will never be," Quinn finished.

Rachel dropped her head and sighed. "I'm sorry. I just…couldn't leave without-

"We know," Quinn said, kissing Rachel on the cheek. "Us neither."

Santana stayed off to the side.

"San?" Rachel said. "You okay?"

"No, I have something I have to tell you two," she said, shifting. "I kept this a secret for so long because I was hurt and angry, but if we are really starting over, then you both need to know Finn and I were a couple. We broke up long before I started dating either of you, but I'm telling you because you two need to understand a part of me will always love him."

Santana looked as if she were expecting rejection, anger, but found something completely different.

"We all loved him in some way. When he wasn't being a jerk, he was the sweetest guy in Lima. No offense, Puck," Quinn said.

"None taken. Finn was special. He was my brother. And I know beside my own reasons, I'm here with you three because it's something he would've wanted. I'm always going to be here with you guys, and I know he's with us as well."

"Wait, so you're not mad?" Santana asked.

"No. I know why you didn't say anything," Quinn said.

"And I can't fault you for wanting to keep it to yourself," Rachel said.

Santana deflated in relief and stepped up to them. Quinn kissed her on the lips while Rachel kissed her neck. Quinn looked over Santana's shoulder and jerked her head at Puck.

"Come here," she said.

Puck gladly stepped into the hug, and the four of them took one last look around the room.

"I thought this club would bring me nothing but embarrassment and boredom," Puck said. "Instead, it's given me everything."

"I thought this place was a waste of time," Santana sighed. "But it was the one place where I felt like I belong."

"I only wanted to get out of Cheerio practice," Quinn snorted. "And ended up finding the loves of my life and a new family."

"This room was my haven," Rachel said softly. "But I learned along the way that it wasn't the room that made me feel safe. It was the people. Once upon a time, that club was our highly dysfunctional family that sang a couple of out of time songs led by a man who didn't know Top 40 from the 1940s. But damn, when it was good, it was really fucking good."

"Ladies and gentlemen, the one and only Rachel Potty-Mouthed Berry," Puck teased.

They laughed and Rachel slipped her hands into Santana's and Quinn's. Santana grabbed Puck's.

"You ready to go? The others will be up by now," Quinn said.

"Yeah," Rachel sighed. "Let's go."

They walked out of the room, down the hall, and Rachel smiled to herself.

**Yeah, you may think that I'm a zero**

**But hey, everyone you wanna be**

**Probably started off like me**

"Dear God, out of all the songs you choose, it had to be that one," Santana whined.

Rachel broke free of the group and danced backwards down the hall.

**You may say that I'm a freak show**

"I don't care," Santana sang mockingly.

**But hey, give it just a little time**

**I bet you're gonna change your mind**

Rachel winked at Santana and spread out her arms.

**All of the dirt you've been throwing my way**

**It ain't so hard to take, that's right**

**Cause I know one day, you'll be screaming my name**

**And I'll just look away, that's right**

Rachel stopped suddenly, expectantly, and Puck groaned. Santana pinched the bridge of her nose while Quinn looked resigned. Rachel put a hand to her ear. Quinn broke first.

_**Just go ahead and hate on me and run your mouth**_

So everyone can hear

_**Hit me with the worst you've got and knock me down**_

_Baby, I don't care_

_**Keep it up and soon enough, you'll figure out**_

You wanna be, you wanna be

_A loser like me_

Rachel slipped back into her spot between Quinn and Santana and the four of them sang the last line together.

_**A loser like me**_

Rachel grinned and said, "That wasn't too bad, was it?"

"For you? No. For me? Absolutely," Santana joked.

"Same. I haven't sung that song in ages," Quinn said.

"I barely sang it the first time," Puck grumbled.

Silence fell as they made their way down the hall.

"You guys ready for this?" Quinn asked.

"Nope," Puck sighed. "Not even close."

"I will admit I'm apprehensive," Santana said.

"It'll be a new start for all of us, even me, LJ, and Tori. This is different. We have a larger family, new relationships, new goals, new dreams. We're turning the page on a very long, very draining chapter, and we're beginning one that will have a lot more laughter, a lot more love, and preferably less drama," Rachel said.

"Amen," Puck chimed.

"Well when you say it like that…" Santana trailed off.

"I'm down for whatever, long as you guys are with me," Quinn said.

"Hell yeah!"

The four walked out the front door of the high school.

They never looked back.


	41. Chapter 41

**Will there be little shorts? I'm not sure. Will there be a sequel? I am really not sure. But this story was a risk and it was a welcome one. Thank you to the ones that stuck around. Mistakes are mine. Wrote this on a tablet.**

**My next one will be a little better.**

**Love,**

**RCV**

* * *

The family didn't stay attached at the hip much longer, at least not like before. Seattle brought new opportunities for everyone and they each jumped at the chance to go after their dreams rather than wait for the right time.

Santana discovered her love for computers went a lot deeper than hacking and started a side job of repairing computers during after school hours. It got to the point she was pulling in hundreds of dollars per week. By the time they graduated high school, Santana was debating whether to go straight to Silicon Valley where she had a job lined up or go to college with a free ride. Rachel and Quinn made a promise not to intervene in her choice but were relieved when Santana picked school instead of work. Caltech was a great choice.

Quinn got her first tattoo a few weeks before graduation. She was so fascinated by the ink, the needles, the artwork that she asked to work at the shop part time. Sweeping dirt turned into organizing designs, organizing designs turned into an apprenticeship, and that turned into Quinn becoming an artist at the store. She preferred the Japanese style and found a little group of returning customers after a few months of being behind the needle instead of under it.

Puck decided to become a fireman. Not because he didn't want to finish school, but because he wanted to help people. He hated cops and didn't have the patience for the ER, so he picked firefighting. It wasn't a decision made lightly. He had many conversations with Leroy and Shelby as well as Santana, but ultimately, it was his to make, and he went with his gut.

LJ and Tori turned their entire life around once they settled back in Seattle. LJ went back to his chemistry set and buckled down for the last year and a half. He managed to raise his GPA, avoid getting suspended or even detention, and found himself accepting a scholarship to Caltech. Surprisingly, he and Santana agreed to move in together. Tori, on the other hand, got swept up in her music. She forewent swimming, claiming that it was only fun as a hobby, and instead focused on re-learning the piano. That led to many performances, many long hours locked in the music room with her sister, and a drunken decision to start a group with Rachel.

They had the weirdest name: Mora, which was blackberry in Spanish. If you asked them, they would tell you it was because they were eating blackberries one night and Santana told Rachel she tasted like 'mora'. But they really had no idea why they chose that name. The two put a few songs on Youtube for fun, nothing serious, but one in particular called 'Blackberry Kisses' ended up getting more views and likes than they planned. Soon, they were convinced to release an EP. They won a Grammy for it.

Michelle, LJ and Tori's mother, remarried after they graduated and moved to Portland. LJ and Tori saw her maybe every other month. Judy, however, didn't stay in Seattle long. Once she was able to walk again, she fell back into the arms of Russell who had seemingly changed, but Quinn didn't believe it. She cut off all contact with her Mom after she found out. With Michelle gone and Judy out of the picture, Shelby stepped in to help Quinn, and in some extent LJ and Tori when it came to the motherly aspects of life.

The family dynamic prospered with her at the helm.

Sue and Emma had their twins, Emmerson and Shiloh, and as expected, they took more after Sue than they did Emma. Several calls to the elementary school about bad language and fighting before they were five years old. It was Emma's nightmare and Sue's headache. When Sue became principal of the kids' elementary school, they miraculously made a full behavior change in less than a week. No one knows why.

Unfortunately, despite everything going well, the Pure Life nonsense followed them. Rachel could still feel eyes on her whenever she walked around the grocery store. Tori complained about security officers in the mall who tailed her in whatever shop she walked into. Santana and LJ had professor complaints despite being in two different schools. Quinn's car was vandalized twice while she was working which forced her boss to have her work the daytime instead of the nighttime, which meant a pay cut. Puck was hazed harder than normal during his training and ended up transferring stations after three months.

There was a cloud of 'what if' hanging over their heads, and when Rachel and Tori started performing live, they spent most of their money on security that they could trust to keep them safe. They couldn't stop living their lives, but they kept what they could private.

Rachel's relationship with Santana and Quinn meant more to her than any type of record deal, but even she couldn't deny the desire to spend the rest of her life with them. Tori and Puck tried to date, but failed, and instead became best friends. LJ found a nice boyfriend at Caltech, one who Santana nicknamed Cobain because of his hygiene habits and grunge-like attitude.

By the time Christmas rolled around, Rachel, Quinn, and Santana each sported matching engagement rings. LJ and Cobain had moved in together as Santana moved out to live with Rachel and Quinn, who found her way down to Los Angeles and managed to find a shop willing to hire her on such short notice. Tori and Puck, after the failed first relationship, tried again for the second time and somehow got it right. The arrival of Noah Jr. was a highly anticipated one. Shelby and Leroy still stayed together, finding their way through life as two single parents could, and traveled all over the world with the money Leroy had leftover. Sue and Emma were tired but grateful parents, eager to dump Emmerson and Shiloh off with their Uncle Puck and Auntie Tori for the weekend while they caught a few days rest.

As they sat around the dinner table, there was no talk of Pure Life. There was no talk of Hiram. There was no talk of business. They were a family spending time together in the safety of the one place they felt safe: home.


End file.
